What Are Tankless Water Heaters?
Also called an instantaneous or demand-type water heater, tankless water heaters do not use a tank to heat water. Unlike a traditional water heater, they are much smaller. They heat water through a pipe and are powered by either electricity or gas.
When you turn on the faucet for hot water, the water travels through a pipe and is heated.
How Do They Compare to Traditional Storage Water Heaters?
A traditional water heater holds its water in a large storage tank. The tank usually holds about 20 to 80 gallons of water. The water is heated in the tank.
When you turn on the hot water tap, the tank releases the hot water. When hot water is used, the tank refills.
With a traditional water heater, the tank is always heating up the water so that there is a regular supply of hot water available. However, this results in standby heat loss. Energy is always being used up to heat the water even if your household is not using the hot water at that time.
A tankless water heater can be more energy efficient because it doesn't need to constantly heat the water.
Pros and Cons of Tankless Water Heaters
Are you interested in a tankless water heater for your home? Wondering if a tankless water heater is the right choice for you? Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of tankless water heaters.
Pros
A tankless water heater can be an energy-efficient investment for your home.
You can increase your home's energy efficiency by 24%-34% if your household uses 41 gallons or less of hot water a day if you have a tankless water heater compared with a storage-tank water heater.
Also, you can increase your household's energy efficiency by 8%-14% even if you use a lot of hot water a day--86 gallons. What's more, you can increase energy efficiency by 27%-50% if you set up a tankless water heater at each hot water outlet in your home.
Consider a tankless water heater as an investment for your home to make it more energy-efficient.
Tankless water heaters can help you save on your utility bills. You'll save money if you're using less water and less energy to heat the water.
Smaller Size
Save on space with a tankless water heater installation. Instead of the big, bulky tank, you have a small tankless water heater system that doesn't take up much space.
A tankless water heater is inconspicuous compared to a storage-tank water heater.
Hot Water on Demand
Do you ever find yourself turning on the shower faucet and waiting for the cold water to get hot?
Or how about when you wash your face in the morning? You stand there waiting for the ice-cold water to warm up. That's a lot of wasted water running down the drain while you wait.
With tankless water heaters, you don't have to wait for the water to get hot. No more standing around while the water warms up.
With a tankless system, you're not limited to the capacity of a water tank. You don't need to wait for the tank to refill.
Increase Value of Your Home
According to the National Association of Home Builders, home buyers are willing to pay more money upfront in order to save on utility bills in the long run.
In fact, a survey revealed that buyers were willing to pay an average of $8,728 more if they know they can save $1,000 a year on utility bills. By making your home more energy-efficient, you can increase the value of your home when it comes to selling down the line.
Lasts Long
If you're concerned about the tankless water heater cost, another consideration is the long lifespan of tankless water heaters. Tankless water heaters have nearly double the lifespan of storage water heaters.
Storage water heaters last about 10-15 years. Tankless water heaters have a lifespan of 20 or more years. What's more, you can extend the life of your tankless water heater with the proper care and maintenance.
No Tank
With tankless water heaters, you don't have a tank to worry about. This also means you don't have to worry about the issues associated with water heater tanks.
Water heater tanks over time can become rusty and corrosive. If you have an old storage tank that needs to be replaced, you might even notice your hot water is brown from corrosion and rust.
With a tank, you also have the problem of sediment buildup clanging and banging around the tank. What's more, water tanks can also leak or spill water all over the floor.
Cons
There are some disadvantages to consider when thinking about purchasing a tankless water heater. Here are some things to consider.
Might Need More Than One for Larger Households
Although you do get hot water on demand with tankless water heaters, you may need more than one tankless water heater to keep up with the supply of a larger household.
This is especially true if you run multiple appliances that use water at the same time. A solution to this problem would be to install more than one tankless water heater in your home to match the demand of your water use.
Some households may install separate tankless water heaters for different purposes. For instance, you might have a tankless water heater to supply hot water for a large hot tub.
When considering tankless water heating systems, you should match the demand for water to your household size.
High Upfront Cost
Another consideration is the high upfront cost of buying and installing tankless water heaters. Tankless water heaters have a higher cost than storage water heaters.
However, tankless water heaters last longer---nearly double the life span---than traditional water heaters. Another consideration is the money you will save on utility costs in the long term.
Installation
Another consideration is the installation of a tankless water heater. Gas-powered tankless water heaters need to be vented to outside. Therefore, you should have a qualified technician take care of the installation of your tankless water heater.
