Efficient and green tankless water heaters are here in Peoria

By Tyler Maritote

Nothing is perfect.

But Sridhar Deivasigamani and Sivaprasad Akasam of Intellihot Green Technologies Inc are pushing the limits.

The duo of former Caterpillar engineers has created a green hot water heater that is nearly 100 percent efficient.

It started when Akasam came home from vacation to find his basement had been flooded by his broken hot water heater.

“We looked at the water heater,” Akasam said, “and were shocked by the design. We saw something that burned gas and wasted energy, which was unacceptable because, for one, it flooded my basement.”

Akasam added that the technology was identical to that used in the 1890’s.

“We always look for ways things can be improved,” Deivasigamani said.

They found one.

Their tank-less design makes their water heater 30 to 50 percent more efficient than conventional water heaters by heating water only when it needs to, on demand and instantly, rather than water sitting in a tank needing to be kept hot, even when it is not being used.

“Think about it like a cell phone,” Deivasigamani said. “You only want to pay for the minutes you use.”

Akasam added that you also do not want your car idling all day.

“So why would you want your hot water heater to?” he said.

Their water heater is not the first tank-less heater to hit the market but it is still the most efficient, according to Intellihot Communication and Marketing Coordinator Sandy Sanders.

“Most other tank-less water heaters are only about 80 percent efficient,” she said.

The difference, according to Sanders, is that the Intellihot water heater captures heat given off by its own combustion and reuses it.

In addition to being more efficient and saving the average home nearly $200 per year, the Intellihot water heater will last two to three times longer than tank heaters due to less corrosion and build-up from idle water, will take up less space at just 28 inches by 18 inches by 14 inches and is more convenient because the hot water is endless. You could wash as many dishes, wash as many clothes and take as many showers as you desire, with one condition:

You can’t exceed 265 gallons of water in an hour with one unit.

That, however, will not be a problem considering the average home only has a 50 gallon water heater.

“I even know some houses with two water heaters,” Akasam said. “Our single unit could replace both of them.”

Multiple units could also be “tethered” together to meet commercial needs, according to Sanders.

With just four Intellihot water heaters, a business could replace a one million BTU (British Thermal Units) heater used by most hotels, which could have numerous benefits.

“If something broke,” Deivasigamani said, “you could just turn off one unit rather than shutting off all hot water.”

The green water heater, though, will have a slightly more expensive installation cost than traditional water heaters, according to Sanders.

But exactly how much more depends on the house, Akasam said.

The Intellihot crew is currently looking for plumbers and builders to carry their unit, provide feedback and build relationships with.

“When people need a hot water heater,” Sanders said, “they don’t do research, they just call a plumber. So we need plumbers to know of our technology and inform them.”

Sanders encouraged anyone willing to take up the unit to contact them and they will provide free installation training.

In addition, they will be having an open house December 2nd at the Peoria NEXT Innovation Center where people will be able to apply for their beta program, in which they can try the water heater in their home at a discounted price.