tankless water heaters for apartments?

[Mark Hu]

I've been playing with the idea of installing tankless water heaters in apartments. But I suspect tankless water heaters require more care in usage and maintenance than regular tank water heaters. Since tenants vary greatly in the care in which they treat their apartment, I wonder if the investment would be worth the risk?

Has anyone else tried installing tankless water heaters in their apartments, or heard of anyone or any company that has?

[Adam Anderson]

Unless you are paying for the hot water I wouldn't even consider them. Even then the payback is 3-7 years.

I also wouldn't consider them unless you are running on gas. The electric models do not heat the water fast enough to provide how water for an entire house, so if you are running on electricity, you need several units.