Is a Tankless Water Heater Right for Your Home?

Is time ticking away on your old water heater? Most tank water heaters last about 10-15 years, sometimes more with excellent maintenance. However, before you replace your old tank with a new tank, it may be time to consider the benefits of a tankless water heater. While tankless models are not right for everyone, they can be a great way to save energy and offer on-demand hot water when you need it. To determine whether a tankless water heater is right for your home, consider these factors.

Lower Energy Bills

Tankless water heaters only heat water when you need it, unlike tank models that keep a hot water supply available 24/7. This can be a significant savings on your energy bills, lowering your water heating costs up to hundreds of dollars per year.

On-Demand Hot Water

When a tank model runs out of hot water, it must refill and reheat water before any more is available for use. With tankless models, the hot water never runs out as it is heated as you go. However, excessive hot water use from a few different sources in your home at one time can impact the stream of hot water available.

Less Space Needed

Tankless water heaters are excellent for smaller homes with limited space. There is no large tank to store and the unit can be installed on a wall, giving you more room.

Not sure if a tankless water heater will meet your needs? Talk to your local plumber about the pros and cons of going tankless for your next water heater. There are different sizes and outputs available to ensure you get the convenience you desire while saving money on your energy bills.

Posted on behalf of:
Seagraves Plumbing Sewer & Septic
4980 Plant Atkinson Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(494) 792-2221

Disadvantages of Electric Tankless Water Heaters

The allure of unlimited hot water and the thought of saving energy on water heating costs have led many homeowners to consider installing a tankless water heater to replace their conventional storage type water heater.  Tankless water heaters can be a great choice for many applications, but they are not a “no-brainer” type of purchase especially if you are considering an electric tankless water heater.  There are some disadvantages to consider before you take the plunge on a tankless water heater installation.

A storage type water heater wastes energy by continuously keeping a tank of water hot, even when there is no demand for hot water.  Tankless water heaters (also called “on-demand” water heaters) save energy by only heating water when it is needed.  Since they heat water on demand, they can continuously supply hot water and will not run out like a storage type water heater.

However, if you are considering an electric tankless water heater, you may not see any cost savings on your energy bill and may even spend more on electric energy for water heating.  The reason is that electric tankless water heaters use a lot of electricity when hot water is needed which is often during peak usage periods such as during the day when people are bathing or doing laundry.

Some utility companies charge higher rates for electricity usage during high demand periods.  You may end up using less electricity with the tankless water heater, but paying higher rates for electricity which would wipe out any energy cost savings.

In addition, because they use large amounts of electricity when they are heating water, installing an electric tankless water heater may require upgrading the electrical wiring in your home.  Your plumbing professional can help you decide if an electric tankless water heater is good choice for your home.