I bought this water heater 2 years ago to replace the G.E. water heater that the previous owner had installed in my house before he moved out. Naturally, as soon as he left it began giving me problems and I began researching solutions. After a lot of reading and cold water, I finally settled on trying this product since it was available at a good price. Now that I’ve had plenty of time to let the dust settle, I thought it was an appropriate time to review it. For those who don’t want all the details, I will just say that I love it!
During my research, I learned about tankless heaters that could potentially save users a lot of money. This was news to me, as I was always used to the giant tank that attracted dust and took up a whole closet. People also praised the way these heaters made hot water on demand, which meant the water was extremely hot and quickly available at any time, rather than sometimes lukewarm water you had to wait for if someone else had just taken a shower. If you have a smaller home or apartment and want to save money this is the right choice.
Basic Overview
This is a Japanese manufactured product, which just like the cars, usually indicates a more reliable and durable product. The unit itself is pretty small but is solid and well designed. This is the smallest unit Takagi makes, so it is designed for smaller houses/apartments. Multiple units can be installed to cover larger residences though. I only needed one as my house is 2,100 square feet. The heater requires both natural gas and electricity to function so if the power goes out you will be without hot water, but that is to be expected.
Warranty & Installation
The warranty is only valid if the unit is installed by a certified technician; however, installation is relatively easy so it is a personal decision. I decided to install it myself and I have very little experience. It took a fair amount of reading and a few trips to the hardware store, but I got it installed and didn’t spend more than $70 in extra parts and about 3 hours of my time. It is important to note these kinds of heaters do require their own ventilation so be prepared for that. I did need to call the customer service line a few times for clarification, and they were easy to get through to and very nice and helpful.
After you get it installed
You can adjust the settings. It comes with a controller you can mount on the wall to tweak the water temperature. Since the water is heated on demand, you can adjust it for whatever you are about to use the hot water for. This helps save money when you only want a lukewarm shower or need some really hot water for some grungy dishes.
So after I had done that, I was ready to go. After using it constantly for 2 years, I have never had a problem with it. The water only takes about 25 seconds to heat up compared with 45 seconds to a minute with the previous heater (when it was working). The temperature always matches the settings. My gas bill is about 1/3 of what it was previously and my electric bill hasn’t gone up noticeably. I have had 5 people take a shower one after another and there was enough hot water for everyone.
• It is small and saves space• It saves a lot of energy bills • Easily adjustable water temperature
• Reliable
• Affordable and will pay for itself
• Installation takes some preparation• Requires its own ventilation
• Needs minor cleaning once a year
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What kind of electrical hookup do you need?
A. A standard 110v connection is fine; I didn’t have to buy anything extra for this.
Q. How does living in a very cold area affect this heater?
A. From my research, tankless heaters are usually better in colder areas since they are heating on demand and not maintaining a large quantity of water against the cold.
Q. Is there a minimum water pressure requirement?
A. No, as long as you get strong pressure throughout your house it should work fine.
Final Verdict
I highly recommend this takagi tankless water heater, as long as you can either afford a technician to help install it or put in the time to install it yourself. Once you have it installed your investment will be paid back easily within a few years. Mine has been running constantly under heavy use for 2 years with zero issues.