Tankless water heaters, or instantaneous or demand-type water heaters, are water heaters that do not use storage tanks. Instead, they use compact heating units that can be mounted on the wall inside or outside the house. They can provide users with a constant supply of hot water only when needed. These work by running cold water through a pipe and into the unit using either an electric element or a gas burner.
Tankless water heaters have become extremely popular, especially in smaller homes like condos and apartments. Over the past years, many homeowners in Broken Arrow, OK and the surrounding areas have swapped their traditional water heating systems with tankless water heaters due to the ease of use, minimal space requirements, and water and energy efficiency. As a homeowner, you want to find ways to lower your monthly bills and reduce your carbon footprint, and the tankless water heater is a great option!
On-Demand
Where traditional water heaters commonly have a lag time of at least three minutes, tankless water heaters only take two to four seconds to go from their “off” mode to providing hot water at the set temperature.
Not to mention storage tanks are typically located in the basement or garage, so the heated water takes several seconds or a couple of minutes to travel through piping and reach the hot water fixture.
Ease of Use
Tankless water heaters are preferred by many homeowners because they are very easy to use and maintain. Some heaters can even be installed with a remote control unit to make changing the set point temperature easier.
When it comes to serviceability, this type of heater is easier to work on compared to the traditional tank heaters.
Tankless water heater service providers can help ensure that the heater stays efficient and problem-free during its service life. Regular maintenance involving cleaning the filters, as well as checking the walls of the tubing, should be done by professionals.
Space-Saving
Tankless water heaters are typically wall-mounted, either indoors or outside the building. They can be installed in a crawl space, near the kitchen or a bath, or even in the attic. Unlike tank heaters, there are no bulky storage tanks that take up space and need to be located in areas like the garage or the basement.
Energy Efficient
One of the advantages of tankless water heaters is the energy savings it can provide you with. They don’t have to maintain or store hot water in a tank, so essentially, the heater is always off. Only when you need hot water will you need to turn it on again. Additionally, the tankless water heater is “fully modulating”, which means that it only uses the necessary fuel to heat the water to the set point at the current flow rate. This translates to around 50% reduction in fuel use compared to the tank water heater.
Ultimately, you need to consider the efficiency of the water heater you have in your home, as this affects your energy and water consumption. But if you’re unsure whether or not you should replace your current traditional water heater with a tankless model, then you should ask a trusted plumbing company like Infinity Plumbing Services in Broken Arrow, OK.
Sources:
Top 10 Best Electric Tankless Water Heaters In 2016, Boston Workers Alliance
What are the Pros and Cons of Tankless Water Heaters? Angie’s List, 16 June 2015
Other References:
Tankless or Demand-Type Water Heaters, Energy.gov 
