If your existing water heater is on its last leg, you’re likely thinking about replacing it. When you first start looking at different options, there are two different styles of water heaters that you can purchase: the traditional tank water heater and the newer tankless hot water heater. We’re going to discuss the latter in detail and help you make a better-informed decision about whether or not it’s the right purchase for your home.
How Does a Tankless Water Heater Work?
Most people are familiar with how a traditional tank-style water heater works. It heats water in a storage tank until you need it. A tankless water heater, on the other hand, operates much differently. Instead of storing water in a tank, a tankless water heater will only heat water as it flows through the hot water line.
For example, let’s say that you turn on the hot side of your kitchen faucet. As water moves through the hot water lines in your home, it will go through the tankless water heater. The water heater will heat the water as it flows to your kitchen faucet. Tankless water heaters can run on electricity, natural gas, or even propane, depending on your specific needs and what fuels are available in your community.
High Operating Efficiency
One of the biggest reasons that a lot of homeowners upgrade to a tankless water heater is because of its high operating efficiency. This type of water heater doesn’t waste energy heating water in a storage tank continuously until you’re ready to use it. Rather, it only uses energy whenever you’re actually in need of hot water in your home. Because these systems operate more efficiently, they can do wonders for reducing your energy bills throughout the year.
Longer Lifespan
Another great advantage of a tankless water heater over its traditional tank counterpart is that it has a much longer lifespan. Traditional water heaters have a lifespan of around 8 to 12 years. Tankless water heaters can last anywhere between 15 and 20 years. This simply comes down to the fact that tankless water heaters don’t have a water tank that can corrode as the tank-style water heaters do.
Tax Credits and Rebates
Because tankless water heaters operate so efficiently, the government is offering homeowners a tax credit for investing in this type of system for their homes. This is done to reduce the nation’s energy consumption. The specific amount of the tax credit that you can claim is going to be dependent on the type of system that you purchase and its efficiency rating. You can discover more information about this tax credit for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 on ENERGY STAR’s website and get a list of tankless water heaters that qualify you for this credit.
It’s also important to note that many local utility companies will offer you a rebate on your energy bill when you purchase one of these systems. The amount of the rebate is going to vary depending on the specific utility provider that you have. You may also find that local governments offer income and property tax credits to homeowners who purchase a tankless water heater with a specific minimum efficiency rating.
No Cold Water Sandwich
One of the biggest complaints that many homeowners have about tank water heaters is the cold water sandwich. This happens when you use up all the hot water that’s in your storage tank. The water will start to turn cold until your water heater can heat the water back up so it’s warm again. This tends to happen when you take back-to-back showers in your home.
The beauty of a tankless water heater is that you never have to experience this cold water sandwich again. Because the tankless water heater heats water as it flows through your hot water line, you can have an endless amount of hot water. The only limitation is the fuel supply that you have on hand. Now you can enjoy taking back-to-back showers and even long showers without the fear of being blasted with cold water unexpectedly.
Compact Design
When you start looking at tankless water heaters for your home, one of the first things that you’ll likely notice is that they’re very small in size when compared to their traditional tank counterpart. Because there is no storage tank, there’s no need for these systems to be large. In fact, most of them are simply a rectangular box that will sit up on your wall. This keeps them out of your living space. It’s more convenient for homes that don’t have a whole lot of extra space.
No Hazard Risk
One of the biggest concerns with traditional tank-style water heaters is the amount of pressure inside them. These water heaters are designed with a specific pressure relief valve on the top that helps to get rid of excess pressure. This valve essentially prevents any explosions. Unfortunately, over time, the pressure relief valve on the tank can corrode and eventually block off the valve. This can prevent excess pressure from leaving the tank and, in some rare cases, lead to an explosion of the water heater tank itself. With a tankless water heater, there’s no risk of a potential tank explosion.
Choosing a Tankless Water Heater for Your Home
If you think that a tankless water heater can be a worthy investment for your household, there are a couple of factors you should consider when selecting the appropriate one. The first factor to consider is the size of the tankless water heater. Sizes are measured in a gallon per minute or GPM rating that describes how many gallons of hot water the unit can produce in a given minute.
To get the appropriate GPM rating for your new unit, add up the flow rate of all your different fixtures and appliances throughout your home. You can usually get this information on the manufacturer’s plate for each appliance and in the owner’s manual for all your plumbing fixtures. This information is necessary to ensure that your tankless water heater has a flow rate high enough to supply enough hot water to all of the appliances and fixtures in your home.
Maintenance Requirements
Just like with a traditional water heater, tankless water heaters need to receive regular maintenance to stay in good working condition. One of the most important things you’ll want to schedule is professional maintenance service at least once a year. During this service, plumbers will not only inspect your system and ensure that all its internal thermostats are working correctly, but they will also do a flushing of your system to remove any excess sediment buildup. About every six months, you’ll want to ensure that you’re regularly cleaning the inlet water filter and looking for any potential leaks in your system.
Expert Tankless Water Heater Installation Service
Rosenberg Plumbing & Air offers expert tankless water heater installation services for the San Antonio, TX community. We can also help with all your water heater replacement, repair, and maintenance needs. Call us today to book your next plumbing service appointment.
Tags: Plumbing tips, tankless water heater, water heater