Tankless water heaters are superior due to the following reasons:
1. Convenience: Tankless water heaters provide unlimited hot water on-demand and as-needed.
Tanked water heaters, despite their large size, have a limited reservoir of hot water that must be continuously heated to provide hot water. Too much hot water usage can deplete the tank’s supply, meaning one unfortunate person gets left with a cold shower.
On the other hand, tankless water heaters merely heat up water as needed. Cold water flows over sensors which trigger the heating elements, and the internal computer circulates the water around a heat exchanger until it reaches the correct temperature. As long as your water flow to the water heater is uninterrupted, your home will have hot water indefinitely.
2. Energy-efficiency: Tankless water heaters reduce your carbon footprint by only using energy when needed to flash heat water.
Compared to inefficient storage tank water heaters that drain energy heating water 24/7/365, tankless water heaters can be 24%–34% more energy-efficient, according to the experts at energy.gov.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) recommend choosing energy-efficient appliances to reduce energy use and earn potential utility rebates. Tankless water heaters with a Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) rating over 0.90 are certified energy-efficient by the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program.
3. Cost-effectiveness: Since tankless water heaters only run as needed, lower utility bills means your tankless unit saves you money over time.
According to the Department of Energy, water heating is the second largest utility expense at roughly 14-18% of your home’s utility bills. This makes sense, as tank-type water heaters are siphoning energy around the clock to heat water, even when you don’t need it. Your hot water usage occurs during only a fraction of the day, and your energy usage to heat that water should match those needs. Tankless water heaters turn on and off automatically, only using energy while you’re using hot water. Tankless water heaters may cost more up front but pay dividends in energy savings each time you need hot water.
4. Durability: Tankless water heaters will last up to twice as long as their tanked counterparts, with less maintenance to boot!
Tanked hot water heaters tend to last an average of 10-12 years, while their warranties tend to expire after 6 years or so. Tank-type water heaters also require periodic maintenance, otherwise they can and will fail before their anticipated lifespan. They need to be flushed of sediment annually, the anode rod requires replacement around every three years and the temperature and pressure relief valve should also be tested regularly. Lastly, in very rare cases when water heaters fail or the excess pressure cannot be released, they have been known to explode – causing dozens of gallons of hot water to flood your home.
Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, can last over 20 years, and typically have warranties that last 10 or more years. Tankless types do still require some maintenance in the form of changing filters or flushing the much smaller tank of sediment. However, the amount of mineral buildup and difficulty to remove it is significantly less, whereas tank-types accumulate sediment that calcifies and stick to the inside of the tank due to exposure to constant heat.
Going tankless means choosing a convenient, energy-efficient, cost-effective and durable water heater for your home. Why not convert today?
The limited time offer from Atlas Home Services:
With over 35 years of experience servicing the region, when a water heater replacement is necessary Atlas Home Services recommends switching to a tankless water heater. Why?