Many of the online reviews are quite positive and this is consistent with the feedback we get from most of our Bosch tankless water heater customers. Some online reviews are negative and we have talked through these issues directly with Bosch.
Of the negative Bosch tankless water heater reviews that are posted on the internet most of these customers are do-it-yourself (DIY) customers who have not installed the product per the instructions in the installation manual!
The two most common mistakes made during the installation of a tankless water heater have to do with either the venting or the gas line (natural gas or liquid propane).
The installation manual for each Bosch tankless water heater specified the venting material that must be used to properly vent the gas tankless water heater. Read these instructions and follow them closely. The instructions must be followed in order to have your tankless hot water heater work properly, to maintain your warranty and to protect the health and safety of you and your family.
As for the gas line, this is probably the single-most common reason that customers do not get the proper performance out of their tankless water heater! Many older tank model heaters can get away with small diameter gas lines because they have a lower BTU/hr input. Remember that tank style heaters use a smaller amount of propane at a time, but they are going on and off all day long. Tankless water heaters use a larger amount of gas at once but they are only on when you demand hot water.
The properties of running natural gas or propane through a pipe are well known and well documented. They are not specific to the manufacturer of the tankless water heater. But, you must carefully size your gas line to ensure that it can provide the maximum BTU/hr input of your tankless water heater. Additionally, you must ensure that your gas line is properly sized to provide for running your furnace or other gas products at the same time as your tankless water heater is running.
The proper tool for measuring gas pressure is a manometer. Make sure that you or your installer have a manometer at the time of installation. This will save you from having to bring your installer back later!
When customers undersize their gas lines their tankless water heater will either under-perform or not work at all. Most of the negative customer postings on the internet are actually from home owners who simply did not provide enough gas pressure to their heater.
Unfortunately, many customers purchase their tankless water heaters from sources that are truly not qualified to sell the products and are unable to provide their customers with this key information on venting and gas line sizing. Always purchase your tankless water heater from an Authorized Distributor.
GlobalTowne is an Authorized Bosch Distributor and we have extensive training from Bosch on the proper installation of their line of tankless water heaters.
As always, make sure that you properly maintain your water heater. Clean out the water filter once a year and descale your tankless water heater yearly, especially if you have hard water.
If you need help determining the proper venting for your tankless water heater or if you need assistance sizing your gas line, please give us a call at 888.726.9752.
Steve
