Tankless water heaters are devices used to supply a property with an unlimited supply of hot water.
These units aren’t like the typical tank style water heater, which hold many gallons (typically around 40-50) of water inside a lined steel tank, keeping the water heated until it’s needed.
Tankless water heaters only heat the water when the faucet is turned on. This saves energy, as we are only paying to heat the water when we’re using it, instead of heating it 24 hours a day.
These units also save space in the home, as they are considerably smaller than the average tank style water heater.
The amount of hot water that these units are able to supply to a home is dependent on their flow rate (gallons per minute) and the temperature rise of the water through the heater.
As it is beyond the scope of a normal home inspection to perform these types of calculations, we routinely advise our clients of the following:
An on-demand style tankless water heater was noted. Recommend verifying with the seller, manufacturer or licensed plumber that the heater’s capacity and flow rate are sufficient for the size of the structure and the water usage demands of expected occupants. This type of testing is beyond the scope of a standard home inspection.