Navien has started shipping the new NHW-A non-condensing tankless water heater. NHW-A is available in two configurations: NHW-AI for interior installations and NHW-AE for exterior installations. Both the NHW-AI and NHW-AE are offered in 160,000 BTU/h, 180,000 BTU/h and 199,900 BTU/h sizes in either natural gas or liquid propane fuel operation.

NHW-A is the first and only non-condensing tankless water heater to feature the patented ComfortFlow recirculation pump and buffer tank originally introduced in the NPE-A condensing tankless water heater in 2012. ComfortFlow helps eliminate the “cold water sandwich” effect and resolves the issue of low flow rates found in other tankless water heaters. ComfortFlow also reduces the wait time for hot water by allowing internal or external recirculation without the need for external parts or controls. Users can program recirculation timing for either always-on, a set weekly schedule using the remote controller, or use the intelligent setting that learns the user’s hot water patterns and automatically adjusts the recirculation schedule to match. 

“NHW-A with ComfortFlow brings high-efficiency water heating with built-in recirculation to more customers,” said Chia Lin, water heater product manager at Navien. “In the past, customers who were restricted to non-condensing products had to purchase expensive external pumps along with their tankless water heaters to achieve what the NHW-A now offers already built into the unit.”

Like the NPN, Navien’s first non-condensing product, the NHW-A utilizes the proprietary NaviTech stainless steel heat exchanger and burner for extreme durability and low NOx emissions. The NHW-A will also utilize the 3-inch by 5-inch NaviVent concentric venting materials that were originally launched with the NPN.