Yep, we’re talking about tankless water heaters. You know, the thing that sounded really cool when you heard about it but didn’t make much sense in the moment.
You probably asked the same question that everyone else did, how does it heat water without a water tank? It sounds too good to be true, right?
Well, it’s not. Tankless water heaters have been around long enough so that many homeowners already know that they’re not science fiction.
They’re here to stay and for some lucky homeowners out there, they might be the perfect next investment project. But they’re definitely not for everyone.
To make things easier for you, let’s talk about tankless water heaters. We’ll discuss what they are, who might benefit the most from them, and why they can be a major upgrade from an old storage-tank water heater in Champaign, IL.
How It Works
A tankless water heater, also known as an “on-demand” water heater, is a system that heats the water as it enters your home to be used instantly. This is in comparison to storage-tank water heaters which use a tank full of hot water to provide for your water needs.
If tankless technology sounds like it’s a fantasy–it’s not. Tankless systems use electric or gas burners to superheat the water on its entry into your home.
As long as you’re not using all of your faucets, showers, and appliances at once, there should be plenty of hot water to go around. The best part is that your water heater will never run out of hot water!
The Benefits of Going Tankless
Here are the major benefits of switching to a tankless water heater.
- Highly efficient. Storage-tank water heaters lose heat throughout the day in a process called “standby heat loss.” Tankless systems never lose any residual heat because they only heat up water that you’re using currently. This means that tankless systems are more energy efficient than their tank-using cousins.
- Never run out of hot water. As we mentioned above, as long as you’re willing to pay for it, a tankless system will continuously heat water as it enters your home for as long as you need it.
- Less maintenance and repair needs. Since a tankless system has less direct contact with water, due to the fact that there’s no tank housing all the water, it doesn’t corrode or wear down as easily as a storage-tank system. This means fewer maintenance and repair costs.
They’re Not for Everyone
Tankless systems aren’t perfect and they’re definitely not going to be for every single customer. Here are just a few reasons why.
- Higher investment cost. Tankless systems on average cost more than tank water heaters, so that’s always something to consider.
- Longer waiting times for water. A storage-tank water heater has immediate access to a tank full of hot water. A tankless system will have to wait a minute or so for the heating element to get hot enough.
- Issues with water being used at once. If you have a large family that sometimes uses all of the hot water appliances at once, that might overload a tankless system.
Ready to upgrade your water heater to a tankless system? Then contact Pipeworks Inc.