A tankless water heater heats water on demand, but what are the pros and the cons associated with these systems?

Tankless water heaters are becoming the preferred choice among forward-thinking individuals that have a desire to save on energy costs, increase the value of their home, and reduce their carbon footprint.

Hailed as the “environmentally-friendly” option for hot water needs, tankless water heaters provide a virtually endless source of hot water without consistently heating water that is pushed into a storage tank.

In just a matter of a year, most homeowners discover that the tankless water system to heat water pays for itself.

The Pros

In addition to not heating and reheating water in a storage tank over and over again, there are several other benefits associated with opting for the installation and use of a tankless water heater. The following outlines these “pros”:

1. The first – and main – benefit is the fact that the devices provide you with instant hot water that lasts for as long as you need it. Regardless of whether you are washing a load of clothes, running the dishwasher, or taking a nice, long hot bath, you will have all of the hot water that you need, when you need it!
2. When you remove a traditional water heater storage tank and use a tankless water heater, you will save up to 40% in energy costs. This is because the water is only heated when you need it to be heated. It is not constantly being reheated as it sits in a large tank.
3. Tankless water heaters last for several decades, which is much longer than traditional water heaters.
4. Traditional water heaters are large, bulky and take up a tremendous amount of space; however, tankless units are quite small.
5. The water that emerges from a tankless water heater is much cleaner than water that comes from a tank where water just sits.

Cons

As with any product, there are a few cons associated with transitioning to a tankless water heater. These include the following:

1. When purchasing the system, you will find that it is more expensive than buying a traditional water heater.
2. The installation costs are higher with tankless hot water systems.
3. If you have a high demand for hot water that will be used in multiple locations in the home, you may be required to purchase more than one unit to ensure you have an appropriate amount of water flow emerging into the home.
4. If only one unit is installed, there are limitations on the water flow output.
5. When you turn your water on, it will be cold at first. It has to have time to flow through the tankless unit and heat up. Traditional water heater tanks provide instant hot water.

Despite the cons that are associated with tankless water heaters, there are many pros that make these the optimal choice. If you would like to learn more or are ready for the installation of your new system, contact us today.

or learn more about tankless water heaters here.