Should You Go Tankless?

If a new water heater is in your near future, you are probably wondering; “Is it time to go tankless?” Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether a tankless water heater is a good fit for you.

What is a Tankless Water Heater?

While a traditional water heater keeps an amount of water, stored in a tank, heated 24/7, a tankless water heater heats water only when there is a demand for it. When the hot water tap is activated, cold water travels through the pipes and into the unit. The water is heated by a gas burner or an electric heating element.

Advantages

• Never run out of hot water again. Since you don’t have to wait for a tank to refill, the supply of hot water is instant and constant.
• Space saver. If space is a concern, a tankless water heater can be a wonderful choice as they are a fraction of the size of the traditional water heater. They can even be mounted on the wall, placed under stairs, or tucked away inside a closet.
• Energy and cost efficient. These units are cost-efficient, as they require less energy to operate. Energy.gov, reports an energy cost savings of around 35% annually over that of a tanked unit. This is an important consideration for those who place importance on having “green” technology to reduce the environmental impact.

Disadvantages

• Difficulty regulating pressure and temperature. This is generally something that can be adjusted. It will take some finesse to learn how to achieve consistency in flow and temperature.
• Tankless units require retrofitting to work with existing plumbing.
• The upfront costs are considerably higher than traditional units, however, it is said that they pay for themselves in energy savings over the course of a few years.

Many factors must be addressed prior to installing a tankless heater, making it not the most DIY-friendly task. Considerations include:

• Retrofitting
• Climate
• Fuel type
• Local codes
• Safety issues

It’s recommended that you hire a qualified plumbing contractor. Having your tankless unit professionally installed will also maximize its energy efficiency and periodic water heater maintenance will minimize the loss of efficiency and extend your heater’s life.

These are just a few of the factors to consider when deciding if you should go tankless. To discover how we can help, contact us.