When it’s finally time to replace the water heater in your home, there are a few different options available to you. One of the more popular options today is the on-demand or tankless water heater. So, to help you become more familiar with this appliance, we’re going to overview some of its pros and cons below.
Pros
1. Endless Hot Water
Having endless hot water is one of the most appealing advantages of a tankless water heater. This unit solves the main issue with conventional storage tank water heaters which is their capacity limits.
Your family could take back-to-back showers without worrying about the water going cold. Or you can shower while washing the dishes or doing your laundry and not have to worry about being hit with cold or lukewarm water.
2. High Operating Efficiency
Tankless water heaters work much differently than conventional water heatoers. In a conventional water heater, this would mean heating elements inside of a tank that keeps heating the water.
Doesn’t matter if you use water from the tank or not, traditional tank-style water heaters will consume energy to keep the water in their tank warm. The beauty of a tankless water heater is it only heats water when you need it. There’s no unnecessary energy wasted heating water that isn’t being used.
3. Long Lifespan
Tankless water heaters are estimated to last up to 20 years. Common water heaters have a lifespan of about 8 to 12 years. Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, have only half of the lifespan of conventional water heaters, simply because their tank is permanently getting in touch with water and the waste that comes along with it. In tank-style water heaters, the sediments will rust out the components inside your water heater much quicker than if you had a tankless model.
4. Takes Up Little Space
Tankless vs. Tank Water Heater Size One of the most evident differences between tankless and tank-style water heaters is their size. Tankless water heaters/gas tankless water heaters are far smaller, and designed to be wall-mounted. This keeps them elevated and out of trim so as to maximize your living space. Tank-style water heaters have a sizeable cylindrical tank that’s space-consuming, which can sometimes be problematic.
5. Multiple Fuel Options
One more benefit of a tankless water heater is that they come in a variety of models, which use different types of fuel. For instance, you can also invest in electric tankless water heater or you can invest in a propane-powered water heater. This creates the opportunity for you to select a home fuel system with an affordable pricing structure.
6. Tax Incentives
Because tankless water heaters are so energy efficient, the federal government is rewarding homeowners who install them with tax incentivestax incentives. These are available through the Inflation Reduction Act, and they let homeowners receive up to $3,200 in tax credits. To qualify, your tankless water heater needs to be ENERGY STAR certified and have a UEF of. 95 or greater.
7. Lower Utility Bills
If you’re a homeowner, there’s a good chance one of your major concerns when getting a new water heater is how much it will cost you to run for the year. When it comes to a tankless water heater, you’re going to see more energy efficiency, with the EPA estimating an increase of 34% efficiency. Utility bills year-round are lower with a better performing water heater.
8. No Safety Risks
Although conventional water heaters are somewhat safe to find inside the average residence, there exists the rare chance of the tank exploding. This typically occurs when there is so much pressure building up within the tank and the pressure release valve doesn’t function properly. There is no threat of an explosion with a tankless water heater because there is no tank for pressure to build up in.
9. No Bacterial Risk
Unfortunately, the environment of a stored tank can be the ideal home for unwanted bacteria. This can form if you let your tank temperature fall below 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is common when homeowners turn the temperature down when they leave on vacation to save energy. Tankless water heaters don’t have tanks for bacteria to grow in, so there’s no worry of bacteria growth.
Cons
1. May Need Multiple Units
Tankless water heaters usually have a gallon-per-minute rating — or GPM — of 2 to 10. Although that will be enough for most homes, there will be a few of the larger houses that may require a couple of extra gallons in the minute. In this type of scenario, homeowners would have to purchase several tankless water heater units to meet their overall gallon-per-minute requirements. This is just because it’s pretty hard to find something over 10 gallons per minute when it comes to tankless water heaters; they aren’t greatly available.
2. Can’t Adjust Flow Rate
Like any water heater purchase, you need to select a unit that suits your household’s hot water capacity needs. The downside of a tankless water heater is you can’t change its flow rate. Instead, you need to buy the one whose flow rate is sufficient enough to meet your needs now.
So, if you decide to add an addition onto the home with the tankless water heater, with a bathroom and shower, you might just need to upgrade if you don’t have enough hot water or install the second tankless water heater for your addition.
3. High Up-front Cost
Tankless water heaters may be as much as twice as expensive as a traditional water heater will be. Usually, it will also be more costly to install than with a conventional tank-style water heater.
4. Longer to Deliver Hot Water
One other disadvantage of a tankless water heater is that it does not always provide hot water as rapidly as a standard water heater. Water that leaves a conventional water heater goes right into your plumbing lines so, when you open a hot water tap, it comes straight from the faucet.
It might take a few seconds for your tankless water heater to begin to heat the water that’s moving through your line, once you turn on the faucet for warm water. It isn’t a huge wait, but it can be mildly annoying if you’re used to a tank water heater.
5. Can Be Affected by Hard Water
The problem is that hard water can severely damage tankless water heaters. Mineral deposits such as calcium and magnesium present in hard water may corrode the internal components of the tankless water heater causing it to rust.
This can reduce its overall lifespan. If you have hard water in your home, it’s best to invest in a water softener system to treat your water before it goes into your tankless water heater.
Reliable Water Heater Service
For Albuquerque community dependable water heater service Day and Night Plumbing. Providing sewer, drain, plumbing repair, water softener, gas line, leak detection, sump pump, rooter service, plumbing inspection, septic tank, and downspout services. Contact our team today at 505-974-5797 for your next appointment with our expert plumbing technicians!
