Top 5 Benefits of a Tankless Water Heater
Upgrade and Save Money
Introduction
There are many factors to consider when purchasing a water heater. What size should you get? Should it be a gas water heater or an electric water heater? What type of maintenance has to be performed to keep the water heater in tiptop shape? When Pride Plumbing’s licensed professional plumbers come to your house to do a job regarding water heaters, he will give you the information you need to properly choose what type is right for you. Our plumbing technicians take everything into consideration and will ask you important questions to understand your needs without pressuring you to purchase a specific model. We sell a variety of water heaters and we’re confident that we can help you find the right one for you. We know that no one likes cold showers, so we’re going to tell you how you can avoid them. If you want a brief explanation about the benefits of a tankless, click here!
What is a Tankless Water Heater?
Tankless water heaters are known as demand-type heaters, on-demand water heaters, or instantaneous water heaters. Instead of the traditional water heater, also known as a tank storage water heater, an instantaneous model warms the water as it travels through pipes into the unit where the water is needed. They are powered by using either electricity or gas.
Benefit 1: Endless Hot Water
No one ever wants to run out of hot water. With a tankless, you don’t have to. You can take showers or baths for as long as you want. Two showers can be running at the same time and they will run hot water the entire time! There is no limitation to what you can do. You can run the dishwasher, washing machine, and shower, all at the same time!
When you turn on your faucet, the tank recognizes the need for hot water and begins heating it. It gives all the hot water that is needed and when you’re done, the water heater will power down and cool off until it needs to heat the next utility. Hot water is not limited to what’s in a tank.
Benefit 2: Energy Efficient
Did you know that water heaters are the second highest energy user in the house? The average household spends $400-$600 a year on water heating, which accounts for 14-18% of a homeowners’ utility bills. When you get an instantaneous heater, you don’t have to worry about spending so much.
All of the on-demand heaters Pride Plumbing of Rochester has are Energy Star certified. This means that they use less than half the energy of a standard tank model. They use a highly efficient heat pump that could save a family of four over $3,500 in their lifetime. Energy Star themselves estimates that a family can save about $100 per year by using an Energy Star certified tankless heater. You can have up to 40% of energy savings.
The reason these heaters are so energy efficient is because they only work when they have to. A traditional tank constantly runs throughout the day because it heats the water in the tank rather than at the source. Get endless hot water while saving energy!
Benefit 3: Lower Energy Bills
Save money! Using less energy means lower energy bills! With a tankless model, you will also save money on your water bills. Since the heater doesn’t have to continuously warm up the water throughout the day, your hot water bill won’t be as expensive.
Benefit 4: Longer Life
Tankless water heaters generally last 20 years or longer. That’s a long time! Tank style heaters last about 10 years. You just need to make sure you’re taking care of your unit, which is not too intensive.
There are a few reasons why their life expectancy differs so much.
Less corrosion:
Traditional tanks are typically made out of steel, which is known to rust or corrode. They also have a piece of metal, which is an anode rod, that sits in the tank to try to prevent the shell of the tank from rusting. However, the rods will rust and need to be removed and replaced every few years. If you forget to replace the anode rod, you risk your tank rusting and leaking.
Less sediment buildup:
Tank water heaters hold water within them, which causes sediment buildup. When the tank heats up the water, minerals like calcium and magnesium buildup within the tank. Excessive sediment buildup can cause problems such as less hot water, uneven water temperatures, and increased energy costs.
On demand heaters don’t hold water in them, so there’s no reason to worry about corrosion or sediment buildup!
Benefit 5: Little Maintenance
Tankless units are easy and require very little maintenance. On demand heaters only need to be looked at by our professional plumbers every 18-24 months. Checking the pressure and flushing the system is vital to ensure their long lifespan. Do you want to learn more about what flushing the system means and why it needs to be done? View our blog, “Flushing a Tankless Water Heater.”
Additional Benefits
There are even more benefits than the top 5 we just went over.
Piece of Mind:
Did you know that about 90% of new water heater installations happen due to an emergency? With the traditional tank model, a large amount of water is stored. When they malfunction or fail, there is a potential for flooding, which can cause unnecessary damage and stress. With an on demand heater, you won’t have to worry about any flooding or damage to your house.
Environmentally friendly:
By using the tankless model, you’re being eco friendly and reducing your carbon footprint by how much energy you’re saving.
Saves space:
Who wants a water heater in the middle of their basement? We can put a demand-type heater right on your wall for you! As you can see below, a tankless model is about the size of a suitcase.
Sleek look:
Standard tank water heaters are big and bulky. The tankless unit is much sleeker and is much more aesthetically pleasing!
Longer warranty:
At Pride Plumbing of Rochester, our traditional tank heaters can come with either a 6 year, 8 year, or 10 year warranty, depending on the size and model you get. All of our tankless units come with a 15 year warranty on the heat exchanger.
When you’re showering and someone flushes the toilet, does the temperature change? If it does, you’re not alone. We know that your shower can become freezing cold or scalding hot. Although tankless units have many benefits, they do not affect temperature change. However, we know how to fix this issue! If the water temperature changes on you, you most likely need a thermostatic mixing valve. To learn more about them, read our blog, “Scalding in the Shower? Install a Thermostatic Mixing Valve.” If you upgrade to a tankless and get thermostatic mixing valves installed, you will have the dream shower experience! No running out of hot water and no temperature changes. It sounds like a win-win situation to me!
Conclusion
Are you intrigued by all of this talk about on-demand heaters? Do you have a traditional tank water heater and are afraid you might need emergency plumbing service? Call your local plumbers, Pride Plumbing at 585-271-7150 or fill out our online form to get in touch with us.
Take a look at what some of our customers have to say about us installing an instantaneous model:
“We had a tankless water heater installed by Devinn. Keith, Manny and Daniel also showed up during the project to help because they were in the area. We didn’t plan on going tankless but after we were educated on the benefits, we decided to go for it. Everyone was kind and professional. A few days later, when we had an error code on the machine, Keith came over right away to check things out for us. Thank you, Pride!” - Courney, Webster
“Josh T. and Keith S. were absolutely wonderful to do business with. They were kind, courteous, knowledgeable, prompt and very informative. They installed a new tankless hot water heater for us in one day. We would highly recommend Pride Plumbing! – Linda, Rochester”
“David, Cory, Brandon and Keith worked real hard on this custom design tankless water heater. Worked a long day with 107 stairs back up to the truck. Still persevered to finish the task in a professional, knowledgeable way. Excellent work guys!!! 45 mins of a 110 degree shower is phenomenal in my book. 1 very happy customer here. THANK YOU!!!” – Chris, Webster
