Tankless Water Heaters: A Quick and Easy Guide

The Ins and Outs of Tankless Water Heaters

Also called instantaneous, continuous flow, on-demand, and instant - tankless water heaters are exactly what they sound like; a water heater without a storage tank. This sounds great, but homeowners should know a few things before having one installed in their home.

Tankless Water Heaters: What They are and How They Work

Traditional water heaters store water in the holding tank and keep it hot all day long if needed, which is not very efficient.

Enter tankless water heaters.

Cold water goes into the tankless water heater whenever hot water is needed. Inside, a heat exchanger is heated either by a gas flame or an electric element, depending on the setup. The heat exchanger quickly turns the cold water hot. The hot water then flows to the faucet, and the process continues until the faucet is turned off. There’s no waiting for the water to heat, like happens on tankless models.

Electric Tankless Water Heaters: Electric tankless water heaters are about 98% efficient, but they also require lots of electricity to run. Where a traditional electric water heater could run on 5,500 watts of electricity, a tankless heater can use up to 25,500 or more. Still, tankless heaters generally save money over heaters with tanks.
Gas Tankless Water Heaters: Gas tankless heaters are closer to 85% efficient, over the 60% efficiency of their gas counterparts. Gas tankless water heaters tend to last longer than electric ones, and they also allow for a higher flow rate. However, both models will last much longer than electric or gas models with tanks.

The Pros and Cons of Tankless Water Heaters

Pros

Can save money on energy
Last longer than those with holding tanks - up to 20 years
Come with longer warranties - 15 years for some
Free up space - no more big tank
No watery mess to clean up if it breaks
More environmentally-friendly - no big tanks in landfills

Cons

Larger upfront cost - up to three times more than traditional water heaters
Limited flow - 2 to 5 gallons of hot water per minute, max
Larger households need more than one installed
Can be expensive if the home isn’t wired to accommodate them

Could a Tankless Water Heater Work in All Homes?

For some, a tankless water heater is a good move. Those who don’t mind the upfront cost it requires to install will probably be happy with it in the long run. However, if they have a big household and often run out of hot water on a traditional system, they’ll probably need to install more than one tankless heater to keep up with household demand.

Consider that most holding-tank models last about 10 years and come with an average six-year warranty. Tankless models, on the other hand, last about 20 years and come with a 15-year warranty. If they’ve gone through their share of traditional water heaters, a new tankless one can put them at ease.

Electric tankless heaters are more efficient, but they have a lower flow rate. Gas tankless heaters are less efficient but have a higher flow rate. Plus, they tend to last longer. Of course, it may come down to whether they’re set up for gas in their home already. Whichever way they want to go, homeowners should give an expert plumbing company a call to discuss options.

About Nixco Plumbing

Nixco plumbing has served Mason’s plumbing needs since 1978. They offer incredibly fast turnaround times, old-fashioned customer service, and 24-hour emergency plumbing. They are also BBB Torch Award winners, making them a favorite in the Mason, Ohio, area.