One of the most exciting developments in plumbing technology has been the advancement in tankless water heater systems. As one would expect, tankless water heater systems do not have a storage tank for hot water, with the heater being capable of providing virtually an endless supply of hot water on demand, to every fixture in the home. While these systems have been around for years and are very popular in Europe and Asia, they are becoming more popular here in the United States as a result of their savings in energy costs, longevity and reduced space requirements.
It is estimated that approximately 20% of a home’s total energy costs are related to providing hot water to the home. A great deal of this energy use is related to maintaining the temperature of the water being stored in the storage tank, even when hot water is being not being used. This constant cycling of the system is expensive, as not only does the water needed to be heated initially, but is has to be kept hot. With tankless systems, there is no storage system as hot water is made on demand, so there is no cycling of the system and no water to be kept hot.
While traditional water heater components are fairly reliable, the primary cause of traditional water heater failure is rust in the tank, which leads to leaking. A tankless system has a much higher lifespan due to the elimination of components that can rust or leak.
Another great benefit of tankless water heaters is that they take up less space than traditional water heaters. While traditional water heaters are floor mounted, tankless systems are much smaller and are often wall mounted. In many cases, this frees up additional space in the water heater room for other uses such as storage.
Posted on behalf of Find Local Plumber
