What is A Tankless Water Heater?

The tankless water heater is often referred to as an “on–demand” water heater. The idea for a tankless water heater came from the concept of giving the consumer hot water exactly when they needed it, which is a contrast to traditional water heaters that continuously heats water in a tank even when the user is not using any fixtures.

How does a Tankless Water Heater Work?

Tankless water heaters come in two styles.

Point-of-use: The point-of-use tankless water heaters are meant to deliver hot water to one or two water appliances at a time. These units are small, and their purpose is to reduce the amount of lag time to your fixtures.

Lag time – is the amount of time it takes for the water to reach the area where you are trying to get water from.

Whole-House Heaters: act in the same way but the main difference is that they are much larger, but they have the ability to deliver hot water to more than one water outlet at a time.

Tankless Water Heaters Vs. Tank Water Heaters

To evaluate this section, we will be looking at the pros and cons of setting up a tankless water heater vs. a traditional tank water heater.

Pros: Advantages of a Tankless Water Heater

Efficiency – Energy Savings: A traditional water heater constantly uses energy to heat the water sitting around in its tank. This means every time you are not using your water; you are losing money from standby heat. A tankless water does not have this problem because it heats water when you need it. You could save 20% off your water heating bill.
Longevity: A tankless water heater lasts 7-10 years longer than a traditional water heater. The lifespan of a tankless water heater is estimated to last up to 20 years while a tank heater lasts 10-13 years.
Space Saving: A traditional tank water heater takes up a lot of room in your home. They range from 60” tall to 24” wide. While a tankless unit is 28” tall and 20” wide. If space is important for your home, then a tankless water heater might be a better option for you.
“Greener” Option: Electric tankless water heaters emits fewer greenhouse gasses
No Chance of Flooding

Cons: Disadvantages of a Tankless Water Heater

Output: A traditional water heater because of its large size is better suited to handle large water use from a household. This means you are not limited in your water usage at one time. A tankless water heater’s hot water output is split among all your other fixtures.
For example, if your home has three showers, the laundry, and the dishwasher all being used at the same time, a tankless water heater might not be up for the job.
The Cost of a Tankless Water Heater: The cost of a tankless water heater could be three times the cost of a traditional water heater. The difference is supposed to be made up by the energy bill savings from switching to the tankless option.
Immediate Energy Requirements: Tankless water heaters three times more natural gas or propane to heat up your water on demand in comparison to the traditional water heater. The gas option might even require a larger gas line to supply the amount of fuel needed.

That is our guide to help you in your decision to choose the best water heater for your home. For professional expertise and consultation, please call your local professional and friendly Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Eastern Iowa, so that we may help evaluate what is the best option to fit your household’s needs.

Please call us for more information: (319) 332-5859