As tankless water heaters are becoming more and more popular these days, understanding their pros and cons is crucial in order to make the most informed purchase decision. Residential and commercial market opportunities for these devices are growing rapidly, according to manufacturers in the industry.
There are a number of questions you might have if you’re thinking about switching from a traditional water heater to a tankless water heater: Do tankless water heaters offer any other benefits than traditional water heaters? Is there a difference in their lifespan? Are they really able to save you money on your energy bills? We will help you evaluate the pros and cons of this article in order to make an informed decision.
What Is a Tankless Water Heater?
As tankless water heaters are able to deliver hot water on demand, they are also more energy-efficient than conventional water heaters with storage tanks. As cold water travels through the tankless unit, it is heated by using either electricity or gas, providing you with a constant supply of warm water that will last until the tap is turned off. Due to this fact, they are also referred to as demand-type or instantaneous type water heaters for the same reason.
Pros and Cons of Tankless Water Heater
When shopping for something important, you should always make a list of pros and cons. It is important to make sure that a tankless water heater is the right one for you, as any water heater is. It is never a good idea to make a decision without being prepared.
An unwise choice simply because there are more cons than pros. Pros and cons are only important if they pertain to you specifically. Your decision shouldn’t be influenced by generalized pros and cons.
Water heaters without tanks have several advantages
It is advantageous to go tankless for a variety of reasons:
1. A space-saving solution
Since the price of real estate has skyrocketed, many of us are moving into smaller homes. Smaller spaces mean that a gigantic 40- or 60-gallon tank that’s five feet high and two feet wide doesn’t exactly fit. Instead, tankless water heaters hang on a wall, freeing up floor space – imagine your cottage, basement, or bathroom with more usable space.
2. Savings on energy and costs in the long run
Tankless water heaters have the main advantage of being energy efficient and cost-effective. In order to maintain the temperature of a 40-50 gallon water supply around the clock, a tank-style water heater expends a great deal of energy so that hot water is ready whenever you need it.
According to their name, tankless water heaters are an on-demand water heater, which means they do not require a constant supply of water to heat water. With tankless water heaters, the water is heated only when it’s needed, preventing standby heat loss, whereby the water is heated by the water heater and reheated every time it’s needed.
3. The supply of hot water
In fact, tankless water heaters operate on the principle of heating cold water on demand, so as long as you are running the tap all the time you will be able to have heated water as long as you like. The advantages of tankless water heaters, even though they have some drawbacks, are that in theory they can keep you warm for as long as you want.
4. Water Damage Prevention
A tankless water heater won’t flood your basement or garage if it rusts – which will take much longer. As a result, you will not have to worry about thousands or even hundreds of dollars worth of damage to your belongings due to water damage. You’ll need these maintenance tips if you plan to keep that older water heater.
5. Settings for preheating
Tankless water heaters can be connected to an app on your phone. As a result, it is possible to pre-heat the water or even turn the water heater off completely. The idea works well for kids or even if you just want a warm bath when you get home from work after a long day.
6. Eco-friendly and friendly to the environment
It is more efficient to heat water with a tankless system than a storage system. Compared to conventional storage tanks, tankless heaters can have efficiencies ranging from 80 percent to 99 percent. The results are that tankless systems can produce almost one unit of heat from one unit of fuel. Tankless hot water heaters have a smaller carbon footprint than conventional water heaters because they use less fuel.
Cons of Tankless Water Heater
It is certainly a win-win situation, but there are some considerations to keep in mind:
1. Costs of installation
The tankless water heater itself may require some initial upfront costs, as well as installation, with any change in technology. A new venting system and gas lines are typically required for a tankless water heater installation. The additional costs of installation begin to be recouped almost immediately.
2. Multiple outlets with limited hot water
Tankless water heaters are limited to the amount of water they can heat at a time. You will notice that the water temperature will fluctuate if you are demanding more hot water than the unit is capable of providing. Water temperature fluctuates when multiple appliances are running simultaneously, such as the dishwasher, washer, and shower. Installing multiple units can solve this problem. Another option is to use less hot water.
3. Special piping is required
It will be necessary for a professional to install the tankless water heater. As a matter of fact, this is of particular importance if it is a gas water heater. The gas water heater requires piping. Install the pipping safely so it can work.
Final Thoughts
If you are considering buying a tankless water heater, you should know the pros and cons of both electric and gas tankless water heaters so that you can make an informed decision. The best way to make sure that you will make the right decision is to contact a professional plumber who has plenty of experience with installing and maintaining these systems.
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