Cold Water Sandwich?

It is not
uncommon to hear someone complain about a tankless water heater that has
recently been installed to replace an old hot water heater with tank. Many a
times the complaint is about intermittent or sporadic hot water coming out of
the water outlets, which can be quite an annoyance if you are taking a hower.
Almost in all cases, the fluctuations in the water temperature are caused by
frequent chances in water flow rate i.e. turning the tap off and on frequently.
To understand why this is a big problem with tankless water heaters, we should
take a look at how they work.

Unlike a
traditional storage unit, a tankless heater starts working only when water is
flowing through. It heats the passing water as long as there is flow and stops
once you close the tap. When you turn the tap on again, a few seconds need to
pass before the unit senses the water has started to flow through and starts
running. In those few seconds, cold water will pass through unheated and enter
the hot water pipes. As a result, you will get intervals of cold water between
intervals of hot water. Although it is something you need to live with if you
want to enjoy the benefits of tankless water heaters, there are a few things
you can do to alleviate this setback.

What You Need To Do

You can start
with learning how to use a tankless water heater and changing your water use
habits to eliminate the habit of turning the tap on and off all the time.
Showering and washing the dishes can easily be done without tinkering with
water flow. One difficult instance is shaving with razor blade but with some
resolve you can find a way to do it in a way that will not make your water
heater go crazy.

Next, getting
a high-quality tankless water heater from a reliable brand name could make
things a lot better. Products from brands such as Rheem and Rinnai have lower
minimum flow rates so they will fire up more quickly and are less likely to
shut down when you fiddle with the tap. These two manufacturers also equip
their tankless water heaters with systems that keep the unit hot for a minute
or so after you close the tap so it can react faster whan you open the tap
again.

Finally,
point-of-use water heaters are very helpful with hot water delays and
intermittent hot water issues. These are small heater tanks placed under the
sink or any other location close to where you will be using hot water. They ensure
hot water is consistent by keeping a few gallons of hot water ready for your
use.