A lot of homes are still fitted with old water storage tanks, which can be costly and inefficient. If you are fed up with running out of hot water halfway through a shower, and you want to find a way to cut back on your energy bills, you should consider a tankless water heater. You will get a constant flow of hot water, and the cost of running your heating and hot water systems will be a lot lower.
When they were first introduced, tankless water heaters did have some big drawbacks. They took a while to heat water, and the gas heaters often reached incredibly high temperatures. But modern tankless heaters have come a long way, and all of those problems have been rectified, so the water heater is safe and efficient.
How Does A Tankless Water Heater Work?
A traditional water heating system works by filling a tank and keeping it warm. This requires constant energy use to keep the water warm, and your usage is also very limited. Once the water in the tank has been used, you will need to wait for more water to be heated. This is not ideal if you have a big family, and everybody needs to take a shower in the morning, and if you have more than one bathroom, your hot water will run out incredibly quickly.
A tankless water heater, on the other hand, heats water as and when you need it and does not rely on a preheated supply of water in a tank. There are two main types of tankless water heater that you can install in your home; condensing and non-condensing.
Non-Condensing Tankless Water Heaters
A non-condensing tankless water heater starts working as soon as you turn on the faucet. A flow sensor activates and determines how much hot water is needed. The igniter on the water heater will then activate, and the gas control valve opens to supply gas. The burner ignites and supplies a flame to heat the water as it passes through. The cold water will then pass through the heat exchanger, and the gas flame will heat it up. The temperature will be monitored, and the flame adjusted to reach the desired temperature, and the hot water will flow from your faucet. This whole process happens in a matter of seconds, so you do not need to wait around for your water to heat up.
Condensing Tankless Water Heaters
The process is very similar to a condensing water heater, but there are a few extra steps. When you turn on the faucet, the water heater will determine how much water needs to be heated, and the igniter will create a flame to heat the water. In a non-condensing water heater, some of the heat energy is lost to evaporation, making it slightly less efficient. But condensing water heaters will harness that lost energy, increasing the efficiency and lowering your energy bills even further.
Both condensing and non-condensing tankless water heaters deliver the required amount of hot water in seconds. The initial install cost of a tankless water heater is more than a traditional tank system, but the benefits are huge.
A Note On Electric Tankless Water Heaters
As well as gas-powered tankless heaters, there are also electric ones available. They work in much the same way but, instead of using a gas flame to heat the water, they use an electric element instead. Electric tankless water heaters are NOT efficient, and they are way more expensive to run, and they will not last as long as a tankless gas water heater.
What Are The Advantages Of Tankless Water Heaters?
Saving Money
One of the biggest benefits of a tankless water heater is that it saves you a lot of money. When you use a tank system, you need to keep the water in the tank heated at all times, so when you turn on the faucet, the hot water is ready to come out. That means that it is constantly draining energy, and your energy usage is increased further when the tank needs to be refilled and heated again. If you have a family, this can get incredibly expensive.
But when you use a tankless water heater, the water is heated as, and when it is used, so you are only spending money when you run the hot water. If you have a big family, these savings can really add up. Although it all depends on the amount of hot water that you use every day, the average saving is around $100 every year, which is a lot of money.
Being More Eco-Friendly
Reducing their impact on the environment is a big concern for a lot of people these days, and cutting your energy usage is one of the best ways to do that. Making the switch to a tankless water heater will make your home a lot more eco-friendly. A home that uses an average of 41 gallons of hot water or less will save 24% to 34% more energy when using a tankless water heater, and that number may be increased if you use a more efficient condensing water heater. If you are serious about saving the planet, investing in a tankless water heater is one of the best ways to do it.
Unlimited Hot Water
When you are getting ready for work in the morning, you don’t have time to wait around for a water tank to heat up, so it is very inconvenient if the hot water runs out. But you never have to deal with that if you use a tankless hot water heater because you have an unlimited supply. That means that the whole family is free to shower without having to plan their morning routine around the hot water tank.
Saving Space
A large water tank takes up a lot of space, and if your house is not very large, it is important that you are economical with the space that you do have. Tankless water heaters are a great space-saving solution because they are far smaller. A Navien tankless water heater, for example, takes up 80% less space than a traditional hot water tank. Electric tankless water heaters take up even less space because they do not need an ignition system inside them, but they will be more expensive to run.
Longer Lasting
Installing a new water heater, whether it is a tank system or a tankless water heater, is always going to be a relatively big expense. However, tankless water heaters last a lot longer than hot water tanks, so you will not need to replace them very often at all. The average life expectancy of a tankless water heater is around 20 years. They have a lot of easily replaceable parts, so you can easily extend their lifespan beyond this and avoid having to replace the entire system.
How Easy Is It To Install A Tankless Water Heater?
Many homeowners stick with their old water tank system because it is easier than installing a tankless system. It is true that upgrading your existing water heating system will be quicker than switching to a new one, but the installation of a tankless water heater done by a professional plumber can still be your best bet. Any time you are working with gas lines, it is best left to a professional. Don’t put your family at risk.
An experienced plumber can usually complete the installation and get the new tankless water heater up and running in 2 to 3 hours. First, the old water heater will need to be removed, and this takes around an hour, provided there are no complications along the way. Fitting the new tankless water heater will take around half an hour, and then it just needs to be connected. Once the power source and gas lines have been connected, the plumber will perform a few simple tests to ensure that your tankless water heating is working correctly, and then you can begin using it.
If you are unhappy with your current water heating system because it is unreliable and expensive to run, you should look into a tankless water heater in College Station. With a tankless water heater in your home, you can save yourself so much money on energy bills, and it is a lot more eco-friendly. It is also incredibly reliable, and you will have a constant supply of hot water, so there are no more worries about the hot water running out if multiple people need to get a shower. If you have limited room in your home, a tankless water heater can open up a lot of space for you as well. Once the installation is complete, your tankless water heater will be ready to use right away. It will last for decades to come, and even if you do have issues with it, parts can easily be replaced, so you do not need to install a whole new tankless heater, and you can continue to save money.