Looking to upgrade your water heater in Sherman? Tankless water heaters provide hot water on demand, offering greater energy efficiency, endless hot water, and space savings compared to traditional models. Whether you’re tired of running out of hot water or want to lower your utility bills, a tankless system is a smart, long-term investment. Here’s why more homeowners in Sherman are making the switch to tankless water heaters!

What Is a Tankless Water Heater?

A tankless water heater provides hot water for your home without the need for a storage tank. Unlike traditional tanked water heaters that preheat water in a storage tank, tankless water heaters heat water as you need it. These units can run on natural gas, propane, or even electricity, depending on your individual preferences. Typically, natural gas is going to be the cheapest option, while electricity is going to be the most expensive.

Space-Saving Design

One of the advantages of opting for a tankless water heater over a traditional tank-style one is that it's much smaller. You no longer must deal with a large cylindrical tank taking up your precious living space. Rather, a tankless water heater is comprised of a small rectangular box that is set up on the wall. Thanks to its space-saving design, this keeps it up and out of the way.

Energy-Efficient Operation

Because a tankless water heater only heats water as you need it, there's no energy waste from preheating water. This allows the tankless water heater to offer higher efficiency than the traditional tank water heater. In fact, the US Department of Energy estimates that homeowners can save anywhere between 8% and 34% on the typical cost of running their water heater for the year.

Longer System Lifespan

Pretty much all traditional water heaters will have a lifespan of around 8 to 12 years. This is, of course, if they receive proper maintenance and upkeep. A tankless water heater has a usable lifespan of around 20 years. That's around double that of a traditional water heater.

Endless Hot Water Supply

One of the biggest limitations of traditional tank-style water heaters is their fixed capacity. Once the stored hot water runs out, you’ll have to wait for the tank to reheat, which can take an hour or more—especially inconvenient when multiple people need to shower back-to-back. Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, heat water on demand as it flows through the system. While they don’t store hot water, they can provide continuous hot water as long as the unit's flow rate meets your household's needs. This makes them ideal for homeowners looking to avoid running out of hot water during busy times.

Potential Tax Savings

The federal government is constantly rewarding homeowners who invest in energy-efficient products for their homes. For your new water heater to be eligible for a tax credit from the federal government, it needs to meet a few standards. First, it must have an ENERGY STAR certification. Second, it must have a uniform energy factor, or UEF for short, of greater than .95. You can determine whether the tankless water heater you're considering is eligible by checking the product finder on ENERGY STAR's website.

Are There Any Drawbacks?

As with purchasing any new appliance for your home, there's always going to be some drawbacks to doing so. When it comes to a tankless water heater, one of its biggest drawbacks is its overall price. A tankless water heater can cost substantially more than that of a traditional tanked water heater. However, it's important to keep in mind that it should last twice as long as you’re utilizing routine maintenance and necessary repairs. Another potential drawback of tankless water heaters is they're a bit more difficult to install than your traditional tank-style water heater.

Tips on Choosing a Tankless Water Heater

When you decide that a tankless water heater is the right choice for your home, there are various factors that you'll want to take into consideration when choosing the appropriate one. The most obvious concern iis the size of the water heater that you're going to need. It's vital to add up the flow rate of all your plumbing fixtures so that you know the gallons per minute your new water heater must produce. It can be helpful to have one of our plumbing professionals assist you in determining this number so you can rest assured that your new water heater will keep up with your demands. Another factor to consider is the type of fuel that you want your water heater to run on. If you already have natural gas piping in your home, that could be an ideal choice. However, if you don't have natural gas available in your area, you may want to consider selecting propane or electricity. An electric water heater is going to be cheaper to install than a propane water heater. However, depending on your area, propane can be cheaper to run than electricity. Another factor you may want to consider is the overall energy efficiency rating of the water heater. Each tankless water heater will be given a uniform energy factor rating. This rating is determined by looking at how much energy the water heater uses and how much energy is lost through the surrounding air and equipment use. The higher the UEF rating, the more efficient the water heater is going to be. It's important to know that all water heaters are classified in a specific category based on their daily water usage. A specific water heater's UEF rating should only be compared against water heaters in that category to give you the most effective results.

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance

Just as with a traditional tank water heater, tankless water heaters need to receive regular service to stay in good working condition. It's best to have a professional plumbing company perform service on your tankless water heater each year. As a homeowner, there are a couple of maintenance tasks that you'll want to do on your own to keep your water heater in tip-top condition. These include wiping down the exterior of the unit, replacing the air filter, and cleaning the inlet filter. Ready to make the switch or learn more? Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® offers exceptional tankless water heater installation service to the Sherman, TX, area. We also offer a wide range of other plumbing and water solutions! Contact Benjamin Franklin® to schedule an appointment for water heaters today!