If your traditional water heater needs replacing, why not try a tankless version this time around? Tankless water heaters, also called on-demand water heaters, provide your household hot water only as needed. Unlike a traditional storage water heater, they don’t produce standby energy losses, which in turn will save you money and save you space. Not sure if a tankless water heater is right for your family? Keep reading.
How Tankless Water Heaters Work
Tankless water heaters heat up your water on a direct basis with no need to use a cumbersome storage tank. When you switch on the hot water tap, the cold water will start traveling through a special pipe and will flow into the unit where it will be heated up via an electric component or a gas burner. You get a constant supply of hot water flowing throughout your home when you need it, so there’s no more waiting around to take a shower after someone took one before you and drained all the toasty water.
On the other side of the coin, the output of a tankless water heater tends to limit the flow rate. Tankless versions provide hot water at a rate of two to five gallons a minute, with electric tankless water heaters producing lower flow rates than gas-fired heaters. But even the biggest gas-fired heater won’t be able to supply enough hot water for simultaneous uses or multiple uses in large households.
Let’s say you took a shower and ran the dishwasher at the same time. With a smaller unit, you’re probably stretching your tankless water heater to the limit. If you have a big family or like to have many things going at once, you may need to install two or more tankless models which will provide simultaneous hot water demands. Or, your plumber could install separate tankless water heaters that can service just your major appliances, such as the clothes washer and dishwasher.
Advantages of Tankless Water Heaters
There are many benefits to tankless water heaters, one of which is the ability to save space in your basement. You don’t need to accommodate a large floor-to-ceiling model like you do right now, which is good news if you’re tight on space in your home.
Because you’re only using hot water as needed, you’re saving on energy, which in turn lowers your energy bills and saves you money.
How energy efficient your tankless water heater will be will depend on the size of your household. According to Energy.gov, on-demand water heaters are 23 to 34 percent more energy efficient than standard storage tank water heaters IF you use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily. If you use 86 gallons of water or more a day, your energy efficiency decreases to eight to 14 percent. If you install a tankless water heater at every hot water outlet, you can experience 27 to 50 percent energy efficiency.
While you will spend more initially on a tankless version than a storage water heater, the tankless will last longer and give you lower operating costs. Eventually, this will offset the high purchase price. Plus, your tankless water heater is designed to last 20 years or more with good care. By comparison, storage water heaters last between 10 and 15 years.
Contact Warm or Breezy Heating & Cooling
If you’re interested in knowing more about how a tankless water heater can benefit your household, call us today at (586) 335-3044. We can give you a free quote on quality models and schedule an appointment for installation.