What’s a Tankless Water Heater and How Does It Work?
A tankless water heater, commonly referred to as an on-demand water heater, is an efficient appliance that produces hot water only when you turn on the tap. Unlike traditional systems that store hot water in a bulky reservoir, the unit heats water instantaneously to the right temperature and delivers it directly to your faucet. This advanced water heating method offers many benefits, but make sure it’s suitable for your home before switching to a tankless system.
How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?
When you use a hot water tap, a sensor in the tankless unit senses the flow of water. This triggers either a gas burner or an electric heating element, depending on your fuel source, which quickly warms the water as it passes through. As soon as you turn off the tap, the system shuts down and stops heating the water, which eliminates standby energy loss.
Benefits of Tankless Water Heaters
More homeowners in Birmingham are switching to tankless water heaters to benefit from these impressive perks:
Endless hot water: Picture your family taking numerous back-to-back showers without the last person in line getting stuck with not enough hot water. That’s the best part of a tankless unit, which delivers virtually unlimited hot water as it flows rather than requiring 30 to 60 minutes to warm up a tank of water.
- Energy efficiency: Tankless water heaters are up to 34% more energy efficient than traditional tank water heaters. The lesser amount of hot water you use, the more energy you conserve. After all, you only have to heat the hot water you actually need, not the standby energy loss from heating a huge tank of water 24/7.
- Long lifespan: If you expect to stay in your home for an extended term, a tankless water heater is a wise investment. These units often are in service more than 20 years, almost twice as long as traditional tank heaters—which have an estimated lifespan of 10 to 15 years.
- Compact design: You may be used to your large, cylindrical water heater tank, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Most tankless systems are about as big as a carry-on suitcase mounted to the wall. Because of this you can fit tankless water heaters in compact areas like closets or small utility rooms.
- Lower risk of water damage: Since tankless water heaters don’t use a tank, there’s no risk of a leaking unit flooding your home.
Is Installing a a Tankless Water Heater Right for Your Home?
Tankless water heaters are efficient, economical technology, but they aren’t ideal for every home. Consider these factors before upgrading:
- Higher initial costs: Tankless systems have a higher upfront investment than traditional models. On the other hand, HVAC tax credits and rebates for energy-efficient appliances help reduce these costs.
- Fuel sources and venting requirements: Tankless water heaters are offered in electric and gas models. Gas units have a higher performance capacity but require venting to safely expel exhaust gases. If you don’t already have a vent, installing one will increase the installation cost. Electric models are less complicated to install but are constrained by their less powerful performance. They also can’t receive energy-efficiency tax credits.
- Temperature rise requirements: Tankless systems raise the temperature of water as it flows through, which requires a significant temperature boost. The chillier the incoming water, the more robust the heater must be and the more energy it uses. For instance, if the groundwater temperature is 40 degrees F in a northern state, and you want 110-degree water in the bathroom, your system must accommodate a 70-degree rise. While possible, this is the peak capability of most gas-fired tankless systems.
- Limited flow rate: Since tankless heaters don’t hold water, they can only deliver a limited amount of hot water at any given time. The unit’s flow rate indicates how much hot water you can use simultaneously, a crucial factor to consider if you have a houseful of people trying to shower while the dishwasher and washing machine are also in use! One way to mitigate a drop in hot water is to install multiple point-of-use models in high-demand locations. But, this increases setup and operating costs.
- The cold-water sandwich: Tankless water heaters generate a “cold-water sandwich,” a short burst of cold water when the unit turns off and on again. It also occurs if you only run a trickle of hot water, which is not enough to keep the tankless unit running. While it’s only a slight inconvenience, it’s worth being aware of before making the switch.
