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Are you trying to pick up a natural gas tankless water heater for your one-bathroom apartment? If so, you might want to have a look at our detailed review for Noritz NRC661-DV-NG indoor natural gas tankless water heater before making a decision.
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Energy Savings & Performance
Noritz NRC661-DV-NG is a tankless water heater that operates on natural gas. However, it uses electricity for ignition and powering its electronics. But how much natural gas and electricity does it consume and will it save you any money?
Well, to start with, we must mention that it is an energy star certified product with an efficiency of 93%. So, we can assure you that it will save you money. Noritz NRC661-DV-NG uses around 55 watts of electricity when in use and its natural gas consumption ranges from 15,000 BTU to 120,000 BTU per hour, depending on your usage.
The maximum flow rate of Noritz NRC661-DV-NG is 6.5 GPM and it reaches this peak rate when it is heating the inlet water by 30oF. Under these circumstances, you can even run two showerheads at a time. However, during winter for the inlet water temperature is lower you can run one low flow showerhead at a time to get enough hot water.
Noritz NRC661-DV-NG is pretty easy to use since on the unit there are only three temperature options, ranging from 100oF to 140oF. Actually, these are the most commonly used temperature levels for showering or washing the dishes. However, if you want to be able to make more specific setups for the temperature, you will have to purchase the remote control for the unit. The remote control allows you to choose from nine different temperature settings but unfortunately, it has to be bought separately.
Design & Installation
What makes Noritz NRC661-DV-NG perfect for smaller apartments, apart from the flow rate it provides, is its size and weight. It is 6.7 x 13.8 x 23.6 inches and weighs only 38 pounds. Assuming that nobody would like to lose space to a water heater in a small apartment, this compact unit will keep out of your way at all times.
NRC661-DV-NG can be installed both indoors and outdoors. It comes with a direct vent kit made up of PVC pipes but in case you want to install it outdoors, you can always get a non-direct venting conversion kit.
The manufacturer of this unit has openly declared on the user’s manual that all units have to be installed by a professional and if not they will not take any responsibility. Therefore, if you want the warranty of your unit to be effective, you will need to have it installed by a licensed professional. This means extra cost but it can save you a lot more money in case of a breakdown.
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Warranty
NRC661-DV-NG tankless water heater’s heat exchanger is covered by warranty for 12 years, which is a pretty long period and a promising one for the durability of the product. In addition, all of its other parts are covered for 5 years.
Apart from the promising warranty period, NRC661-DV-NG is quite a sturdy device with its special heat exchanger. Inside this unit, there are two heat exchangers instead of one and both of them are made of commercial-grade copper. This commercial-grade copper is about 25% thicker than regular copper which is used commonly in other water heaters. Other than its sturdy heat exchangers, NRC661-DV-NG has many other safety features such as a flame sensor, overheating and freeze protection and a temperature control lock. Thanks to all of these safety measures, we believe that you will be able to use this device for long years.
Pros
- Energy star certified with an efficiency of 93%
- 5 GPM maximum flow rate
- Compact
- Can be installed both inside and outside
- Has two heat exchangers both made of extra sturdy commercial-grade copper
- 12 years of warranty on the heat exchanger and 5 years on the parts
Cons
- Has only three temperature settings without the remote control which has to be bought separately
- Is not suitable for houses with more than two bathrooms
- Must hire a professional for its installation for the warranty to be effective
NRC661-DV-NG Review Wrap Up
NRC661-DV-NG tankless water heater is perfect for a family living in a relatively small apartment with one bathroom. It may still do for a two-bathroom house in case it is located in the south, where the inlet water temperature is higher. However, we do not recommend it for bigger houses with more hot water demand. What you are aiming for is to be able to take a shower while your spouse is rinsing the dishes and the washing machine is running do not wait another minute to purchase this product.
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