When most folks envision a water heater, they see a big tank, with pipes and water lines coming out of it. What if you take away the tank, though?
Maybe you’re scratching your head–if you’ve never actually seen a tankless system in action, this is understandable. But it’s just what it sounds like! It’s a water heater that does not require the use of a tank holding gallons of hot water. It’s a great piece of technology with a number of benefits.
Read on to learn what these benefits are!
They’re Energy Efficient
Instead of using a storage tank of hot water that can suffer from standby heat loss, tankless systems work “on demand” meaning their heat exchangers don’t come on until there’s a demand for such from a plumbing fixture or appliance.
Since they do not need to constantly keep gallons of water at a certain temperature, they wind up using about 30-50% less energy than a standard tank water heater. This means you’re paying far less for the same comfort!
They Take Up Less Space
Without the big, multi-gallon tank, your tankless water heater will use up a lot less space than a conventional storage tank system. This means more space for you to use in your garage or basement.
There Are Resolutions to Their Limitations
Folk often do see one limitation of a tankless water heater, and that’s when there is too large of a demand for hot water all at once. Meaning, you may have two family members taking a shower, while trying to run your dishwasher and your clothes washer all at once. This might not be a problem for a large tank water heater, but it can overwhelm a tankless system.
Fortunately, you can overcome this by having a second tankless system installed or even a smaller tank water heater that is assigned to one or two specific plumbing appliances.
They Should Be Professionally Installed
Tankless water heaters can use either only electricity or electricity and natural gas. But either way, dealing with electrical wiring and dealing with gas should always be left to trained, experienced, and properly licensed professionals.
They Do Need Maintenance!
Most folks know that a standard tank water heater needs routine professional maintenance. But did you know that a tankless system needs maintenance too? It can suffer from a problem known as scaling, when hard water minerals like calcium and magnesium harden and get stuck on the heat exchangers and other components of the tankless system. This is a natural problem, but still one that needs to be addressed. Be sure to schedule tankless water heating maintenance once a year!
Whether you have heard about these systems before or not, it’s always a good idea to learn some basic information and key features about them. We’ll always help you make an educated decision whether you’re having a water heater replaced for the first time or your upgrading your current water heating needs.
Learn more about water heaters in St. Louis, MO by contacting Performance Plumbing today!