Why Might I Want this Specific Tankless Water Heater?
As you’ll find out soon after installation, the Rheem Prestige 95 is fully capable of meeting a large home’s demand for instantaneous hot water. In fact, this model is even more capable in this domain than its competition because it comes with “Hot Start Programming.” This feature allows the unit to minimize cold water bursts by remaining in “ready” mode during high demand events.
Also, this model’s low flow activation rate is one of the best in the industry, even among larger and more expensive tankless units. The Rheem Prestige 95 features a 0.40 GPM minimum activation flow rate, allowing it to provide any faucet or showerhead with optimally hot water even during low demand events.
Key Specifications and Features to Look for in a Tankless Water Heater
Dimensions & Capacity
You’ll need to measure your desired installation location in advance to ensure that your chosen unit has plenty of clearance for both the present installation and future maintenance. The Rheem Prestige 95’s dimensions are 18.5 x 9.8 x 27.5 inches, making it a slightly larger-than-average unit that is still well-sized for wall mounting in most basements or attics. The Rheem Prestige 95 also doesn’t feature any capacity because it (like all tankless units) lacks a need to store water internally.
Fuel Type
While selecting a tankless water heater, you’ll be able to choose between electric, natural gas, or propane fuel sources. Each comes with their own advantages, including price and in-home availability. The Rheem Prestige 95 is a natural gas-powered unit, making it very accessible to homes with existing natural gas-powered appliances.
Flow Rate & Water Pressure
A tankless unit’s flow rate describes the volume of water that can be pumped through the system and heated in a set period of time (often a minute, as measured in gallons per minute or GPM). This metric effects overall water pressure in turn, with higher volumes creating higher water pressures in more compact delivery systems. The Rheem Prestige 95 features a 9.5 GPM peak, allowing it to serve several outlets at once without causing water pressure dips.
Altitude Capacity
Heating water is more challenging and energy-intensive at high altitudes. As such, not all units are rated for optimal use in areas such as the mountainous American west. The Rheem Prestige 95 can operate without a problem at 8,400 feet above sea level without losing any of energy efficiency or heating capacity.
Energy Efficiency Ratings & Certifications
Many units that advertise their ability to cut utility costs feature an energy efficiency rating. These ratings are often paired with any awards or certifications that unit has received as a result of that rating. The Rheem Prestige 95’s 93% energy efficiency is solid for its size and class, while its array of certifications from the likes of NSF, EnergyStar, and AIA clearly demonstrate its ongoing value to consumers.
Price and Warranty
Even as their average prices increase, tankless units quickly pay for themselves in utility bill savings and added value. Though it carries a price tag just over $1,000, the Rheem Prestige 95’s self-diagnostics and 12-year limited warranty effectively justify its cost by making it easy and efficient to replace faulty components for more than a decade post-purchase.
Display Type
You’ll need to interreact with your tankless unit often, so it is best to pick a model with a user-friendly interface. The Rheem Prestige 95 certainly meets that criteria through its digital remote control, which removes the need for a digital or analog on-unit interface.
Different Uses for a Tankless Water Heater
Decentralized In-Home Water Heating
Though the practice was already common in some geographic regions, de-centralized hot water production and delivery is starting to catch on across the country. Using 2-3 tankless units like the Rheem Prestige 95, a homeowner may meet their family’s acute hot water needs by placing units in high-demand locations (such as a bathroom or kitchen). This type of decentralization can also improve water pressure deficiencies by cutting out travel distance.
Cutting Water and Electric Bills
Tankless units are almost always able to improve on utility use efficiency compared to traditional tank models. The Rheem Prestige 95, for example, features a 94% energy efficiency rating that communicates its use of 94% of its combusted energy in the water heating process. Along the same lines, the lack of an internal tank means that all tankless units (the Rheem Prestige 95 included) lack a need to use water beyond a user’s direct demand.