One of the biggest topics in the plumbing world is tankless water heaters. As they have become a more common fixture in a lot of residential settings, many homeowners are wondering what they are. Below, we’ll go into more detail about what these types of water heaters are and how they can be beneficial for your home.
What Is a Tankless Water Heater?
Most homeowners are familiar with traditional tank water heaters. These have a large cylindrical storage tank that holds water. They have an internal heating element or burner, depending on the type of fuel they use to warm the water. These units will heat water that’s in the tank to your desired temperature setting until you’re ready to use it.
Tankless water heaters work differently from traditional water heaters. Instead of continually heating water, they don’t have a tank. Rather, they simply warm up water as it travels through the water line on the way to your plumbing fixtures.
It’s comprised of a small box that sits up on the wall and has your hot water line going through it. As the water travels into the tankless water heater box, the burner or heating element warms up the water to your desired temperature setting. Then the hot water gets delivered to the plumbing fixtures on that line.
Endless Supply of Hot Water
One of the most desirable benefits of a tankless water heater is that it can supply an endless amount of hot water. With a traditional tank water heater, you only have as much hot water as the tank can hold. If you use all that with back-to-back showers, you have to wait for the water to be reheated.
With a tankless water heater, water is heated as it travels through the unit. This means that it can heat an endless supply of water. This can be great for those who take back-to-back showers or simply long showers.
Compact Design
Tankless water heaters support a more compact design than their conventional counterparts. Instead of taking up usable floor space, tankless water heaters get directly attached to the wall. The size of the unit will depend on the size of the water heater you need for your unique situation.
Lower Energy Usage
Because they’re not continually heating water in a tank, tankless systems don’t waste energy when it’s not necessary. They’re only utilizing energy when you actually have a demand for hot water in your home. This can significantly reduce your utility costs throughout the year as compared to using a conventional water heater.
Long Lifespan
Conventional water heaters have a usable lifespan of about eight to 12 years. This can be shortened with issues like hard water or a lack of proper maintenance. On the other hand, tankless water heaters have a longer lifespan of about 15 to 20 years. This is assuming they receive annual maintenance service.
Tax Incentives
Because tankless water heaters are so energy efficient, you typically can claim them to get a tax rebate on your federal tax returns. Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, homeowners can reduce their tax burden with proof of purchasing a qualified unit. In most cases, you can claim up to 30% of the total cost of your new unit plus installation in the form of a tax credit. You may even find that your local utility company and local government offer incentives as well when you purchase a tankless water heater for your home.
Higher Upfront Cost
When you compare the cost of tankless water heaters to traditional water heaters, tankless options are more expensive. Generally, homeowners will pay about one and a half times the total cost of a tank water heater to get a tankless option. However, it’s important to take into account the longer lifespan and energy savings when making your ultimate purchasing decision.
Consistent Water Temperature
Another desirable benefit of tankless water heaters is that they provide a more consistent water temperature. One of the biggest problems with traditional water heaters is that their temperature can fluctuate as the existing hot water in your tank runs out. The water will go from being hot at your desired temperature to lukewarm as it’s trying to reheat. You won’t have that issue with a tankless water heater.
Eco-Friendly Option
Those who are concerned about their home’s carbon footprint will find that a tankless water heater is a great upgrade. These units consume much less energy than traditional water heaters, reducing your home’s total energy consumption throughout the year. Since hot water is something that you rely on day in and day out, a tankless water heater can have a big impact.
Installation May Require Upgrades
Switching from a conventional water heater to a tankless water heater may require some installation upgrades. This can increase the upfront cost of putting in your new water heater. Some of the most common upgrades include gas line modifications, venting changes, and electrical upgrades.
Limited Flow Rate
Each tankless water heater has a determined flow rate that describes how much hot water it can produce in a given minute. It’s vitally important to ensure that you purchase a water heater with a flow rate that can support all your plumbing fixtures. If you get a unit with too low a flow rate, you can experience fluctuations in water temperature when running multiple hot water fixtures at the same time.
Multiple Units for Larger Homes
One notable downside of tankless water heaters is that most standard units only have a maximum flow rate of around nine gallons per minute. This simply isn’t enough for larger homes that have a higher demand for hot water. To accommodate these homes, you’ll need multiple tankless water heater units.
Electric Unit Limitations
Tankless water heaters can run on electricity, natural gas, or propane. Those that run on natural gas or propane offer the highest flow rates of up to nine to 11 gallons per minute. Electric tankless water heaters offer lower flow rates with a maximum of around five gallons per minute. This makes electric tankless water heaters only feasible for smaller homes, apartments, or single fixtures instead of an entire home.
Those with average-size or larger homes will have to invest in a gas tankless water heater. This means bringing in a gas line for your home to supply natural gas or propane to the unit. If you don’t currently have gas running to your home, this can be a big upfront expense when installing a new tankless water heater.
Top-Quality Tankless Water Heater Installation Services
Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. offers top-quality tankless water heater installation services for the Nashua, NH area. We can also assist with your water heater repair, replacement, and maintenance needs. Call Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. today to schedule tankless water heater installation.
