Remodeler: Stephen McNiel
Company: Creative Property Restoration, Houston
Product: Noritz Tankless Water Heaters,
www.noritzamerica.com.
Remodeling older homes in Houston presents special challenges for remodeler Stephen McNiel. “We do a lot of attic conversions, where you have to find creative places to put hot water heaters,” he says. That's why he's so pleased with Noritz's tankless models. “The size is excellent —very, very small, so it's easy to install in multiple locations. [It] provides about 8.3 gallons per minute.”
Most homeowners aren't familiar with tankless technology, but McNiel finds it's easy to sell them on it. “They are unsure at first, because tank units clearly dominate in our part of the world, but I tell them about Europe and Japan, where they've been in use for decades.”
Still, the price is about double that of a tank unit. On that front, McNiel appeals to the clients' green consciousness, telling them that the Noritz has three times the life span of a tank heater and that it saves energy because they'll no longer be heating 50 gallons of water 365 days a year.
McNiel maintains he has never had a complaint from clients who take the tankless plunge.
