When it’s time to replace your existing water heater, you have two options. You could choose a traditional tank-style water heater or go with one that does not have a tank. The latter can provide many great benefits.
What Is a Tankless Water Heater?
Most people are familiar with tank-style water heaters that continually heat the water inside the tank so that it’s hot and ready when you need it. This is where the tankless water heater greatly differs. This water heater only heats water as it flows through the appliance, which happens when you turn on your hot water faucet.
Space Saving
Tank-style water heaters take up a lot of space. On the other hand, a tankless water heater doesn’t. These units are typically small rectangular boxes mounted directly to the wall, giving you more living space and keeping your water heater up and out of the way.
Energy-Efficient Operation
Tankless water heaters are much more energy-efficient than water heaters with tanks. This efficiency lies in the way that tankless water heaters operate. Since these units only use energy when you call for hot water, they don’t waste any energy.
Lower Utility Bills
Having an energy-efficient water heater means that you can spend less money each year on your utility bills. In fact, it’s been estimated that a tankless water heater can save homeowners up to 34% each year in energy usage.
Endless Hot Water
One of the biggest drawbacks of traditional water heaters is their limited capacity of hot water. Once you use all the pre-heated water, you have to wait for more water to heat back up before you can use your hot water again. A tankless water heater provides an endless amount of hot water. You’ll never have to worry about ending up with cold water halfway through your shower again.
Long Lifespan
Tankless water heaters have a fairly long lifespan of around 20 years. Compare this to around 10 years for tank-style water heaters, and it becomes clear that tankless water heaters are superior. It’s important to remember that your water heater needs to receive proper maintenance and upkeep to maintain a long lifespan.
Available in Different GPMs
Most homeowners are familiar with the gallon capacity of tank-style water heaters. When it comes to tankless water heaters, their capacity is given in gallons per minute, or GPM for short. These water heaters are available in a wide variety of GPM, so you can get the perfect capacity to meet your household’s plumbing usage.
Tax Rebates
Another benefit of investing in tankless water heaters that homeowners love is federal tax rebates. Tankless water heaters with a UEF of greater than 0.95 are marked as ENERGY STAR units and make you eligible for a tax rebate. Homeowners can be eligible for tax incentives up to $3,200 annually via the Inflation Reduction Act. This incentive can be a great way to recoup some of the cost of your investment. You may even find that some local and state governments also offer tax incentives for these energy-efficient water heaters.
Easier Maintenance
Tankless water heaters require less maintenance than traditional ones. Since there is no tank and water only flows through the unit instead of sitting in it, there’s less sediment buildup. Most tankless water heater manufacturers require homeowners to service their units once per year to maintain their warranty coverage. If you live in a region with hard water, you may need to service your unit twice per year.
No Safety Risks
While tank water heaters don’t pose a very high risk of explosion, there is a small one. When the pressure relief valve malfunctions, the pressure inside a tank-style water heater can get too high and cause the tank to explode. This can be extremely dangerous for any household. Fortunately, when you invest in a tankless water heater, you don’t have to worry about this.
Lower Risk of Water Damage
One of the biggest risks of using a tank-style water heater is that it can cause water damage. If the bottom of your storage tank leaks, it can damage anything near it. Tankless water heaters have a much smaller risk of leaking as they don’t store any excess water. Furthermore, newer tankless water heaters have integrated safety features, like automatic water shut-off valves, that will prevent water leakage.
Lower Carbon Footprint
If you’re one of the many homeowners looking to transition their homes into being more eco-friendly, tankless water heaters are a great starting point. These units use less energy, which means a smaller carbon footprint for your household. Some of these tankless water heaters even come with additional sustainable technology, like low-NOx burners.
Enhanced Home Value
Because tankless water heaters are longer-lasting and use less energy, they’re more desirable for homebuyers than traditional tank-style water heaters. This translates to a higher value for your home if you sell it in the future. In fact, tankless water heaters have a great return on investment for homeowners.
More Safety Features
Tankless water heaters have advanced safety features that traditional water heaters don’t. For example, they have real-time temperature monitoring that adjusts heating to ensure that you never receive scalding water. Other safety features include automatic shut-offs that prevent unit overheating and internal damage.
Tips on Choosing the Best Tankless Water Heater for Your Home
If you’re ready to invest in a new tankless water heater for your home, there are various factors to consider. First is the type of fuel that your new unit will use. Tankless water heaters can run on electricity, propane, or gas. Gas tankless water heaters are available in condensing models that preserve heat and are much more energy-efficient than other models.
Another factor you’ll need to consider is your GPM usage. It can be helpful to check the water usage for all your appliances and plumbing fixtures. By adding up the total, you can ensure that you choose a water heater that matches your maximum water usage capacity. This will ensure that you never suffer from reduced water temperature, no matter how many items you’re using.
The necessary temperature rise is also an imperative factor in determining the right tankless water heater for your home. Temperature rise is simply how many degrees your water temperature needs to rise from the temperature it comes into your home to the desired temperature set on your water heater. For example, if water comes in at 45 degrees Fahrenheit and you want it to come out of your hot water faucet at 120 degrees, the temperature rise would be 75 degrees.
Expert Tankless Water Heater Service
Woodward Heating Air Plumbing offers expert tankless water heater service for the Salem, OR community. We’ll also assist with all your air conditioning, heating, and indoor air quality needs as well as other plumbing services like drain cleaning and water treatment. Contact our friendly staff today to book your next plumbing service consultation.
