Before You Buy Your Tankless Gas Water Heater, You Will Need To Decide Which Tankless Water Heating Venting Method You Will Use

Okay. You made the decision to purchase a tankless gas water heater and you assume that is your biggest decision.

However, you also have to decide between these three tankless water heater venting systems: a direct vent system, a non-direct vent system, or an outdoor tankless system.

• An outdoor unit receives its ventilation from the environment and the fact that it is outdoors.

• A non-vent unit uses a fan to push the gas to the outdoors, while pulling in the oxygen needed, you also have the option to vent vertical or horizontal.

• The direct vent tankless gas water heater is a bit different in that the combustion air comes directly from outside by way of a gas burner.

The actual heater does not use air from within its space and is actually has a sealed cover.

After Purchasing Your Tankless Gas Water Heater, You Will Need To Decide If You Will Install It Yourself Or Hire A Contractor

After weighing your options, if you decide the direct vent tankless gas water heater is your best option, you need to decide if you want to install it yourself or hire a contractor.

Obviously, if you are not very good with other appliances around your home, you probably will want to enlist the help of a contractor. However, if you are handy around the house, you can save money doing it yourself.

Tankless Gas Water Heater Consideration 1 - You Need To Decide Where You Will Place Your Unit

First off, decide where you can place your gas tank-less system - gas tankless units have two pipes that run through the wall or roof to the outside.

One pipe is for fresh air intake and the other is for exhaust, the two work side-by-side.

A very small home where you have other appliances being vented may cause a problem because the other appliances and your tankless may be fighting for fresh air intake.

Also, depending on the type of traditional hot water tank you had, you may be able to install it in the same area.

Tankless Gas Water Heater Consideration 2 - You Need To Decide How You Will Get The Pipes To Route Outdoors

When installing your gas tankless water heater, the biggest hurdle is going to be getting the pipes out to the outdoors, which is one reasons if have a three-story home, you may not want to install it in the basement.

On the other hand, if your basement wall is not cement, you may be able to push the pipes through and vent the unit directly on the wall of the basement.

Tankless Gas Water Heater Consideration 3 - You Need Resist The Temptation To Install Your Unit In The Attic

While it's tempting to think about routing your gas water heater through your attic…don't, it is not a good idea to install your tankless in the attic for a number of reasons.

• First, heat rises and you are using a gas-powered unit, so if you live in a very hot climate, this could be dangerous.

• Besides that, most home attics are not equipped and therefore would require quite a bit of preparation to install it in the attic.

• If the basement wall will not work, the best area to install it would be an area where you can easily get the pipes to the outdoors.

Tankless Gas Water Heater Consideration 4 - If At Any Time You Become Unsure About How To Install Your Gas Tankless Unit - Get Help

When taking on any project that involves dealing with gas, it helps to read the manual and find online help. However, if you find yourself stomped on how to proceed, resist the temptation to proceed on your own.

Many tankless owners are devastated when they realize that a faulty installation cost them hot water. So, if you are unsure about installing a gas tankless hot water heater, get help from a professional who has experience installing other gas tankless water heater units.