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Hot water on demand continues to build momentum with homeowners. Whether it's for the cost savings of having a tankless water heater or homeowners just trying to avoid a cold morning shower, Stiebel Eltron is heating things up.
In the May issue of Qualified Remodeler we brought you the Tempra. The Tempra electric whole-house tankless water heater from Stiebel Eltron creates a typical savings of at least 15 to 20 percent. The Tempra takes up less space than a tank system and provides hot water only when it is needed. It features an advanced microprocessor control that allows the exact water temperature to be set between 86 and 125 degrees F via a knob and digital display on the front cover.
"The tankless concept is getting more and more popular all over the world," says Frank Stiebel, president of Stiebel Eltron. "There are energy savings by eliminating standby losses completely; space savings since there's no big tank and more hot water is available so one person after another can take a hot shower without waiting for the tank to reheat."
Founded in Berlin, Germany in 1924 by Stiebel's father, this West Hatfield, Mass.-based company began by building immersion heaters before moving on to tank type electric heaters in the 30s and 40s. Shortly after WWII, Stiebel Eltron included tankless type units, that were gaining popularity at the time, to their product line.
"We have over 50 years of experience with high quality standards and an excellent track record," says Stiebel. "We've become known for our reliability."
Stiebel Eltron has two main product lines. The smaller point-of-use units mount under a sink and supply one or two sinks with hot water. The company also manufactures whole-house applications that can give the entire household an endless supply of hot water. Outside of these two product lines Stiebel Eltron also makes thermal solar systems. These systems include thermal solar panels, a storage tank, controls and pump station to utilize the suns energy to heat water.
Stiebel does have a few words of advice for remodelers planning on installing their systems though. First, the whole-house applications can pull a high amperage draw and it is recommended to make sure the electrical service is big enough to handle the unit. Secondly, he suggests using the sizing chart the company has available in order to make sure the product will perform adequately.
On deck for Stiebel Eltron, is some improvements to its Tempra model as the technologies continue to advance. It will also be launching its Tempra Pro Series which will include more equipment, more features and will limit water flow rate if the system can't maintain water temperature to avoid things running cold.