water heater Archives

November 22, 2013November 22, 2013

Reliance Water Heater

Looking To Upgrade Your Water Heater?

We offer rental water heaters at a cheaper price than our competitors, and we can prove it.

Guaranteed we’re not the only water heating company here in Southern Ontario, but that’s a good thing. Competition brings about cheaper prices for consumers. Its fast and simple to Google anything, you can have 10+ companies vying for your business in a single search. We hope you choose us to be one of the few that get an opportunity to offer you a quote.

There is a good chance you have a reliance water heater and you have chosen to rent your system. We offer identical rental water heaters at a reduced cost as well as the new tankless systems.

Your conventional tank type Reliance water heater in the the basement or closet is always running, while you sleep, work, go on vacation, etc. A tankless water heater is an on demand system. That mean the moment you want hot water it turns on until the moment you shut off your tap; it only runs when you need hot water and is completely shut off at all other times.

A Tankless water heater is super efficient as well, up into the high 95 percent plus range. The conventional tank you rent from Reliance is probably only 50 percent efficient at best.

It may be time to move your rental Reliance water heater over to us and get an ultra efficient tankless system at nearly the same price your paying to rent you inefficient model. Reliance has no contracts and no penalties to leave so switching is an easy process.

Give us a call today to discuss your opportunity to get a rental tankless water heater.

Call (647) 925 1930 or fill out our form and we will contact you

March 20, 2013March 21, 2013

Achieving The Best Water Heater Efficiency

Looking to get the best water heater efficiency out of your your homes system? We have put together a few tips that you can take advantage of when looking at increasing your homes water heating bills.

First we recommend that you take a quick trip to Home Depot, Lowes or another renovation retailer (preferably Canadian owned and operated) to purchase pipe insulation. One way to really improve efficiency is to insulate the hot water pipes in your home, its really surprising how many homes just don’t employ this simple upgrade.

The next suggestion is really only possible if you are renovating. For maximum water heater efficiency the unit should be located as close as possible to the point of use, this will significantly reduce the energy lost from long pipe runs mentioned above. If you happen to have a small powder room at the far end of your home consider a small electric tank installed under your sink, they hold a gallon of hot water and can save a lot of energy.

Consider a drain water heat recovery system, these simple units are installed in the basement on your drain pipe. As hot water from the shower or tap is dumped down the drain a heat exchanger captures the lost energy and uses it to preheat the water going to your water heater. The saving can exceed 40% and reduce the overall energy consumption of your entire home by 10%.

Depending on how you and your family use hot water a tankless or a high efficiency conventional tank can go a long way to improving your homes water heater efficiency rating.

Interested in any of the items we mentioned above? Give us a call (647) 925-1930 and we can answer any question you may have.

As always knowledge is power and information is always free!

February 20, 2013February 20, 2013

Tank VS Tankless – Misconceptions

There are a lot of misconceptions regarding tank type water heaters and tankless systems. As a homeowner, if you’re thinking of adding a tankless to your home take what you read on the internet with a grain of salt. Everyone seems to be some sort of expert on water heaters and can tell you which system is better when in reality you yourself needs to make the decision. A tankless has been installed tens of thousands of homes throughout the greater Toronto area with positive reviews.

In some situations as tankless is not the right choice, you need to trust your water heater installer to shoot you straight. The hard part is finding reputable tankless installers that are willing to tell you the whole truth and not just force the sale through. I can tell you without hesitation that we and all employees put the homeowners interest first. Operating on this simple principle ensures that the homeowner remains a customer and we remain in business. Simple as that.

Now back to the tankless misconceptions published throughout the internet. A recent article regarding the pros and cons was published on thesop.org by a writing that appears to have just taken some common thoughts regarding the system and published them as if completely true.

Below is our response to the author regarding his article.

Hello John,

I read your article on thesop.org and wanted to correct you on a few things regarding tank vs tankless water heaters.

You said – Tankless water heaters are about 10 to 20% more energy efficient than traditional tank water heaters.

Tankless range from 82% to 98% efficiency, an expensive conventional tank brand new is lucky to be 60% so 20-30 percent is more accurate.

You said – Tankless water heaters work best when only one water tap is using hot water.

That’s not accurate at all, a tankless can easily run 3 showers and a dishwasher simultaneously (or some similar combination).

You said – If water taps are far apart from each other, it is recommended to buy another tankless water heater.

How does that even make sense? A tankless is designed to produce enough hot water for your whole home and is usually installed very close to where the old tank was installed, thus the hot water has the exact same distance to travel.

You said – Water does not instantly heat up when using a tankless water heater, but does with a tank heater.

This is backwards, it does heat up instantly, tankless are sometimes referred to as insta-hot water heaters.

You said – Tankless water heaters require yearly maintenance in order to remain efficient.

This is correct but not a bad thing as you stated… any and all water heaters see a 2% reduction in efficiency every year due to scale and lime build up. A tankless is designed to have the scale removed or flushed out of the system so that it maintains its very high efficiency rating. A conventional tank has no flush or maintenance thus the scale builds up year after year. Think of the efficiency these two water heating systems are operating at 10 years down the road.

You’re a university student, I know you can do better than this. Let me know if you’re interested in re-writing, correcting, or doing another article on the subject. I would be more than happy to answer any questions or provide any help needed to accurately portray the pros and cons of tankless systems.

Read the original article here

February 1, 2013February 13, 2013

Direct Energy and Reliance Fined

The Canadian Competition Bureau has issued a fine of 25 million dollars to both Direct Energy and Reliance Comfort. The charges suggest that the two water heater rental companies have been gouging customers and making it ridiculously difficult to end contracts. Both Direct Energy and Reliance offer rental water heaters throughout Ontario.

Critics suggest that the industry is mainly a big scam as the cost of renting a water heater is nearly high enough to cover the cost of owing one. In addition the penalties to exit a contract are exorbitant and designed to confuse and frustrate a customer into giving up.

Interestingly this isn’t the first time that Direct Energy has been in hot water. In 2002 following a similar investigation the Competition Bureau enforced new rules and conduct guidelines that Enbridge Services (now Direct Energy) was required to follow under a 10 year consent order. The investigation found that Direct Energy re-engaged in the sleazy conduct in February of 2012.

As for Reliance, the company was apparently in a co-operative discussion regarding its hot water tank return policy. They also suggested that the company had initiated the difficult return policy in an attempt to thwart rival water heater companies.

I cant think of a better reason to simply purchase your own water heater, be that a tankless or just your conventional power vent. The rental business can be full of bureaucracy and technicalities. If you must have the peace of mind that comes with a full service, 24 hour emergency replacement then it might be worthwhile to look into maintenance plans. These are usually only 5-10 bucks a month, depending on equipment and gives you a full sense of security, oh ya, also no long term contract.

Interested in moving away form a rental and into owning your water heater?

We have helped many of our customers escape their long term contracts.

We can Help you as well.

(647) 925-1930

November 30, 2012November 30, 2012

Tankless Concerns

Here is an interesting post that I spotted on RedFlagDeals – that’s a popular Canadian site offering deals and helpful info to people. I recommend you check it out if you’re interested. Anyways this user had some questions regarding tankless water heaters and was looking for responses from current owners. Here is their inquiry.

I’ll be moving into a brand new town-home in downtown Toronto next year, and we need to decide on which option to go for the water heater:

Rent the tank system from Direct Energy (installed by builder…)
Buy a tank system and replace the rental
Rent a tankless system
Buy a tankless system

Our priorities are, in order of most important first:

Space
Hot Temperature
Continuous hot water
Noise
Multiple appliances
Up-front costs
Operating & Maintenance costs

I know the tankless system wins for 1 and 3… but what about 2, 4, and 5? After reading through this thread, I only read a few things about the noise issue. We want to mount this on a wall to save space and use that area as storage, but if it’s going to rattle our small townhome’s walls, that’s a serious concern.

Thoughts?

Here Is Our Take

Right off the bat I would instantly recommend a tankless if your number one concern is space. A tankless wins hands down. I will go though the issues this user brought up briefly.

Space – tankless saves a lot, it wins.
Temperature – Toss up, but I would probably give it to the tankless because of its precision
Continuous supply – obviously the tankless takes this category
Noise – depends on which type of conventional tank you could install, but I call it a draw – both would probably be power vented units so the blower makes the most noise.
Tank wins but only for a short period as it will run out of water as more appliances demand hot water.
Tank is cheaper for sure – a tankless does have much higher upfront costs.
Tank – a tank will be cheaper on maintenance as there really isn’t any, but that tank has a lifespan of 8 years where as the tankless is 20. Yep you will pay a little more on maintenance but it more than makes up for it over time.

June 5, 2012June 5, 2012

Tankless Water Heater Service Valves

Service Valves on a Tankless are Important

The service valves on a tankless are essential for cleaning the insides of your tankless. The valves allow an easy method of changing the incoming and outgoing water from one source to another. Why would you need this feature? Well your tankless is designed to last more than 20 years and this requires that the scale and lime buildup that forms on the inside of the system is flushed or cleaned out. The scale forms fastest in situations where water is rapidly heated, so the heat exchanger is the primary location of buildup.

It is not mandatory that these service valves are installed but any good contractor will have included them in the price and if you have a tankless you probably have some already.

The Service Valves Use

Cleaning your tankless requires you to shut the fuel source down, unplug the unit, switch the incoming and outgoing water over with the service valves. Then you can simply hook up some hoses to the in and out ports on the service valves and pump vinegar or some acidic solution though the tankless. The acid eats the scale and restores the tankless to its original efficiency.

Scale buildup quickly reduces the efficiency of your tankless by significantly slowing the transfer of heat to water.

So if you have a tankless tank a quick peek at your system and see of your contractor or installer included the service valves. If not, don’t worry they can always be installed after the fact. Give us a call and we can install some and flush your tankless at the same time.

Service Valves Specifications

3/4″ union connections
Colour coded handles and unions
Staggered connection points to easy access and installation
Forward facing purge/flush ports ease routine servicing
Purge/drain hose connection port and cap
Full port, quarter turn valves

May 14, 2012May 16, 2012

Canadian Snowbirds

When you head south next winter, don’t pay to heat water you won’t use. Install a tankless and relax knowing that you’re saving money!

The thought of spending up to six months in a warm, sunny US Sunbelt state or Mexico during Canada’s cold winter season is becoming increasingly appealing and popular for millions of Canadian retirees. This trend is increasing every year, as Canada’s population ages and more people seek the “down south warmth”.

There are many matters to deal with and one often overlooked but important aspect is your water heater…

A water heater makes up around 30-40 percent of your homes energy bill and leaving it on while your away is simply a waste of money. A tankless is perfect for retired people looking to spend extended periods away from their home as the system only makes hot water when it’s needed. So leaving for the season is easier knowing that your not paying for hot water that you won’t use.

Tankless Benefits

A tankless has a freeze protection system, so if your furnace quits while your away during the winter a sensor in the tankless will ensure your system doesn’t burst.
If you normally shut off your conventional tank you will need to re-light the pilot, a tankless is self igniting.
A tankless can save you energy and money even when you are living home as it only heats water on demand

If your interested and would like to get more information give us a call or fill out the form on the side of this page. We can answer any questions you may have and work to see if a tankless is right for your situation.

April 23, 2012May 15, 2012

Tankless Installations

Toronto Tankless Installations

Do you live in Toronto and interested in upgrading from a conventional tank to a new high efficiency tankless water heater? Go Tankless is a full service tankless maintenance, service, and sales company that specializes in tankless water heaters. We know them inside and out and always work to ensure you get the best tankless price as well as the best tankless service in Ontario.

We at GoTankless.ca are committed to customer service. Our goal is your complete satisfaction every step of the way. Our commitment starts with a free, no obligation consultation with one of our in-house experts. Together we will work through all of the available options and determine which tankless hot water heating system is right for you. Next, an in-home installation appointment can be arranged at your convenience. And for those with busy schedules, evening and weekend appointments are always available. A fully licensed team of professionals will install your new tankless system to manufacturer’s specifications ensuring maximum efficiency, performance, and system longevity. While on hand our friendly staff will guide you and your family through the ins and outs of your new tankless system and answer any questions that you might have. Finally, each and every customer can expect a phone call from the owners of GoTankless.ca to convey our personal appreciation for your business and to make sure your experience was a rewarding one.

So give us a call today or fill out our quick contact form. Its time to start saving on your homes water heating bills.

April 19, 2012May 1, 2012

Tankless Flushing 139$

Flushing your tankless is essential to maintaining its high efficiency rating. A tankless flush will remove all of the scale and lime that has built up on your heat exchanger saving you money and helping the environment. Give us a call today to schedule your next service.

Scale builds up fast inside a tankless as the water hardness of a certain area increases. Check out this chart of water hardness in cities around Southern Ontario and see how much your water heater is at risk for scale buildup.

Having a clean tankless is the most important factor in keeping your tankless at its highest efficiency level. If you have had a tankless installed already by a reputable company you will have service valves, but if you paid a bargain basement price for your tankless the contractor probably omitted the valves to save money (they can still be added to the system after the fact). These valves isolate the heat exchanger allowing it to be flushed or cleaned of lime scale, calcium, and general buildup which acts as an insulator preventing the water from absorbing heat more readily. A tankless flush with a vinegar solution will dissolve the buildup effectively reviving the factory level of efficiency.

We at Go Tankless only use food grade citric acid or food grade phosphorus acid to flush the inside of your tankless. This is a potable water system and if any contractor says they use a solution of CLR or some other highly acidic poisonous solution do not let them near your house! The last thing you want is to be introducing poisons to your drinking system.

Our tankless flushing service covers most of Southern Ontario, give us a call and we can schedule a flush for your water heater. A tankless flushing is a quick process and only takes about an hour.