Why Install a Tankless Water Heater?
Have you ever looked at your bulky water heater and thought, “there must be a better option?” Well, there is! A tankless water heater, while not for everyone, is certainly a good option if you are looking to save energy, money, or even space. There is plenty to consider when looking at a tankless water heater, and here we will help outline a few points to ponder if you don’t know much about them.
What is a Tankless Water Heater?
First things first, a tankless water heater only heats water as needed. They don’t use storage tanks like your average water heater. They have a heating element that pulls water through it and heats it rapidly. As a result, you don’t need to wait until the tank is refilled with hot water after you use it. There is a constant stream of hot water.
Pros and Cons
Like we said earlier, you do not have to wait for the water tank to fill up. A tankless water heater saves energy, which is great for the environment and can save you money. It is especially helpful for saving on energy if you use a lot of hot water in your house per day. They are not constantly burning the pilot light and do not have standby heat loss. In other words, they only heat water when you want it to. While these water heaters cost more initially, they practically pay for themselves in energy and operating cost savings. They also are known to last twice as long as tank water heaters. Those with small homes will also be happy to know that a tankless water heater saves space because they are much smaller than tank water heaters. There is also no tank to leak. If, by chance, you do get a leak in your tankless system, the damage will be noticeably less.
One major factor that deters homeowners from a tankless water heater is the large upfront cost. It will save you money down the road, but is more expensive initially. A tankless water heater’s output limits the flow rate to about 2-5 gallons per minute, which limits multiple simultaneous uses. This is more noticeable in large households where several things are more likely to require hot water at once. One thing to be aware of with an electrical water heater is that you will not have hot water in a power outage.
Installation
You should really have a certified plumber install your tankless water heater if you decide to make the change. Not only will they help you find the right unit for your set up, but they will install it correctly. You may need local permits to meet building codes. They should also do the repairs so that your system is running optimally and saving you money and energy. Tankless water heaters tend to have easier to replace parts, which is part of what adds to their extended life.
Taking the pros and cons into consideration, think about your options next time you are shopping for a water heater. At Valley Fire Protection & Plumbing, we have certified plumbers that can help you install and repair whatever water heater you choose.
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