How Tankless Water Heaters Are More Energy Efficient

How Tankless Water Heaters Are More Energy Efficient

Tankless water heater systems use less energy, take up less space and provide hot water faster than most of the traditional water heating systems. Considering the benefits, it’s not wise to equip your home with inefficient, old-fashioned water heaters. Take advantage of technological developments and replace old appliances with energy-efficient appliances. You have the freedom to reduce your utility bill whether you are heating your home or cooling your home.

Tankless water heating systems or demand-type water heaters provide hot water only when needed. This means you don’t have to suffer standby energy losses associated with traditional, storage-type water heaters. While tankless models are more energy-efficient, it’s important to determine whether or not they are feasible for your home or office. For that, you need to know how demand-type water heaters work:

How tankless water heaters work

If you haven’t yet explored much about tankless water heaters, you might be wondering how they work. Simply put, as the name suggests, demand-type water heaters don’t use a storage tank. When you turn on a hot water tap, cold water runs through a pipe into the unit. An electric or gas element heats the water delivering an uninterrupted supply of hot water, unlike storage-based models that keep you waiting for hot water while the tank is filling up.

It’s also important to mention that tankless water heaters can limit the flow rate due to their instant mechanism of heating up water; they provide hot water at a rate ranging from 7 to 15 liters per minute or 2 to 5 gallons per minute. Gas-fired units offer better flow rates as compared to that of electric. In large households, a single tankless heater might not be enough to supply enough hot water to facilitate multiple and simultaneous uses. It’s a good idea to have more than one unit, connected in parallel, to meet your growing demand for hot water in your building.

Residents of Alberta can get a rebate for installing a tankless water heater

The use of energy-efficient appliances is always desirable on both the national and international levels. The good news is that you can get an energy efficiency rebate of up to $1000 for installing specific tankless water heaters. You can call Nor-Can Heating & Air to learn more about how much you can get back in rebates when installing a tankless water heater.

About Nor-Can

Nor-Can, an HVAC company in Edmonton specializes in providing energy efficiency services to households and businesses which results in adding value to their heating and cooling systems. Whether you need to install a tankless water heater or need to repair a furnace, we provide a comprehensive range of heating and air conditioning services in Edmonton, Alberta. Contact us for more information!

Selecting The Right Water Heater For Your Home

Selecting The Right Water Heater For Your Home

If your current water heater is about to reach its full life expectancy and you’re thinking about getting a new one, or you want to select a water heater for your new home, you’ll be happy to know that you can choose from a number of energy-efficient models and brands. However, you might feel overwhelmed with the types and sizes available in the market.

It is crucial to select the right design, type, and size in order to get an uninterrupted supply of hot water in a cost-effective manner. Choose a water heater that is not only energy efficient but also powerful enough to meet the demand for hot water. It’s never a good idea to just choose a manufacturer and randomly buy a model without considering your needs. Let’s discuss some of the popular types of water heaters to make the selection process easy for you:

Types of water heaters

Having considerable knowledge of different types of water heaters will make it easy for you to make the right choice. Here are some of them:

  • Traditional, storage-tank: this is the most commonly used type which offers 20 to 80 gallons of a ready reservoir of hot water. Storage heaters use energy to heat up the water and maintain its temperature. If you prefer to have a considerable amount of water ready at all times, select models with stronger insulation.
  • Tankless: as the name suggests, this type of water heater heats water without using a storage tank. You can say it’s an on-demand type of water heaters which provides a limited flow of water per minute as compared to that of storage-type. Tankless systems are energy-efficient, ideal for homes that prefer to use natural gas to power the heating systems.
  • Solar: these domestic water heating systems are great when it comes to the environment and economy as they use solar energy to operate. They work best during the summer months. However, the high initial installation cost can be a disadvantage.

Let’s simplify the process: selection criteria

Here are some of the factors that you must consider before making a purchase decision:

  • Fuel type: energy source or fuel type can have an impact on your water heaters operation costs and output. Natural gas, electricity, fuel oil, and solar are some of the leading energy sources. Select the one that is ideal for you both in terms of monthly costs and output.
  • Size: determine the demand for hot water in your house so that you can select the right size. Amount of water per minute is a good indicator to find out whether or not a particular model is appropriate for your building. Select a properly sized unit that can efficiently fulfill your requirements.
  • Cost: How much energy is used is often a concern for many households. It’s advisable to buy energy-efficient models.

About us

Nor Can Heating & Air adds value to your heating and air conditioning systems. If you’re looking to install, repair, or replace a water heater in Edmonton, Alberta, we have what it takes to provide you with excellent service. Contact us for more information!

Why Now is the Perfect Time to Inspect Your Furnace

Why Now is the Perfect Time to Inspect Your Furnace

As the days get a little shorter and the sun goes down a little earlier, you may be adjusting the thermostat more often. While it isn’t parka season quite yet, winter is coming. Here are three important reasons you should book a furnace inspection before the snow flies:

You Can’t Remember Your Last Inspection

Experts suggest that furnaces be inspected at least once a year. This can help technicians predict any impending issues and generally give the unit a good once over. Think of it like your annual check-up at the doctor. You may not have any glaring issues at the time, but it is still important to get checked out just in case. If you don’t remember the last time you had an inspection, you should have someone come in as soon as possible!

Get It in Before the Holidays

September is the lull before the madness of the holidays begin. It is during this month that we ship our kids back to school and take the extra time to relax. Once October rolls in you will be sliding into holiday mode. That means shopping for gifts, preparing get-togethers, and everything else the season entails. Not only will you be short on time, but you’ll likely be short on cash. Furnace inspections aren’t expensive, but every little bit counts. Make sure you have the resources to handle furnace maintenance before you start purchasing gifts for every one of your first cousins.

Don’t Be Left Out in the Cold

Sure, your furnace hasn’t been acting up over the last few months, but then again it’s been a balmy summer. How do you know that your heating unit is in good working condition? Winter is when we pump our homes full of heat in an attempt to combat the freezing cold outside. That burst of usage will be very quick to reveal any issues that set in over the summer. All too often, we see homeowners who put off an inspection and find themselves without heat during the coldest months of the year. Preventative maintenance is key to mitigating this problem.

Don’t be caught unawares this winter. Have your furnace inspected before it gets cold so that you’ll be nice and warm when it counts! Contact the experts at Nor-Can Heating and Air today to book your next inspection.

Is it Time You Considered Investing in A/C?

Is it Time You Considered Investing in A/C?

Summer has officially come to Edmonton. Now is the season of festivals and floating down the river. But while we are having a great time outdoors, we can’t neglect what is going on indoors. Our homes can be sources of unbearable heat during this usually lovely time of year. If you are considering having air conditioning installed in your home, now is the time to do it! Here are four signs that it’s high time you invested in air conditioning for your home:

You Break a Sweat Just Climbing Up the Stairs

According to Harvard Health, high temperatures can wreak havoc on our bodies. We need to work extra hard to release all of the heat building up inside of us. This means pumping more blood, faster. This can be uncomfortable for healthy people, but those with cardiovascular issues can downright suffer through the hot summer months.

You’re Tired of Sleeping with All the Windows and Doors Open

Depending on where you live in or around Edmonton, not everyone is comfortable leaving their homes open during the night. This way, your security is being compromised while you sleep. Air conditioning can help eradicate the need to open windows and doors to encourage air flow.

Your Appliances Don’t Seem to Last as Long as They Should

Heat isn’t just hard on us, it’s hard on our furniture and appliances. In confined spaces, heat breeds humidity. This moisture can actually shorten the lifespan of objects you’ve worked hard to bring into your home. Warped wood and moist leather aren’t just unsightly, but may effect your ability to use the affected surfaces.

You Find Yourself Tired and Irritable During the Day

Summer insomnia happens, especially in the absence of an air conditioner. Our bodies are designed to sleep in cooler temperatures, so the hot Edmonton heat can mess with our natural rhythm. Not getting enough sleep on a continual basis can lead to some negative health effects. Primary among those are moodiness and inability to focus.

If any of this sounds like you, it’s time to call the experts at Nor-Can Heating and Air at 780-934-4328. Don’t suffer the heat any longer, let’s get you set up with an air conditioner today!