How to Install an Electric Tankless Hot Water Heater

The idea of a hot water heater without a tank seems almost too good to pass up. Imagine a hot water heater that heats water on demand so you never run out of hot water no matter how many people need the shower. And the fact that it is without a tank means that there is no energy wasted in repeatedly heating a 50-gallon tank of water that may not be used for many hours at a time. There's just one problem with all of this if you are planning to install an electric hot water heater without a tank. In order to heat enough water quickly enough, an electric heater uses an inordinate amount of electricity. In fact, an electric water heater without a tank uses more electricity than many newer homes are designed to provide for the entire house. Obviously the solution is either to install a gas-powered hot water heater without a tank or to have a licensed electrician make the necessary modifications to provide adequate electric power to your electric heater. Whatever you decide, read on to learn more about how to install an electric hot water heater without a tank.

Things You'll Need

• Pipe wrench
• Monkey wrench
• Screwdrivers
• Drills
• Plumber's joint tape

Instructions

1. Make certain that the electric hot water heater you are purchasing is the correct one for the area of the country in which you live. Many models require a certain ambient temperature for the inlet water which is only available in certain geographical areas of the country.

2. Determine the electrical needs of the electric hot water heater you are interested in. Determine the power that is currently available from your home's meter box. In many cases the available power will not be sufficient to run your new electric tankless hot water heater. In some cases this problem may be alleviated somewhat by installing smaller units that are designed to heat water for a single use, such as an individual sink rather than trying to heat water for an entire house.

3. If necessary, run new wiring to the area where the tankless electric water heater is to be installed. Only a license electrician should attempt to run the necessary wiring and make changes to your home's main electrical panel.

4. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for attaching the heater to your wall. Always attach your heater to studs and never rely on wallboard to hold up the weight of your heater.

5. Use plumber's joint tape to wrap all connections before connecting your cold water line to the inlet of your new tankless water heater and the hot water line to the outlet. Switch on the unit. You should now have instant-on hot water.

Tips & Warnings

• Never allow anyone except a licensed electrician to modify the main electrical panel of your home or to run additional wiring or increase amperage or voltage.