If it’s time to put a new water heater in your home, there are a couple of different options to choose from. One of the more popular these days is the on-demand or tankless water heater. To help you get better acquainted with this appliance, we’re going to go over some of its pros and cons below.
1. Endless Hot Water
One of the most desirable benefits of a tankless water heater is that it can provide you with an endless amount of hot water. This unit overcomes the main problem with traditional storage tank water heaters, which is their limited capacity. Your family can take back-to-back showers and not have to worry about the water getting cold. Or, you can take a shower while washing the dishes or doing your laundry and not have to worry about getting cold or lukewarm water.
2. High Operating Efficiency
The way a tankless water heater operates is much different than the way a traditional water heater operates. With a traditional water heater, there are heating elements within the tank that consistently warm up the water. It doesn’t matter if you’re using water from the tank or not, tank-style water heaters will use energy to keep the water in their tank warm. The beauty of a tankless water heater is that it only heats water when you demand it. There’s no needless waste of energy to heat water that isn’t in use.
3. Long Lifespan
Tankless water heaters have an estimated lifespan of up to 20 years. Traditional water heaters only last around 8 to 12 years. The reason that traditional water heaters have a lifespan of only half that of tankless water heaters is because their tank is constantly in contact with water and the sediments that come with it. The sediments will cause the components of the water heater to rust out more quickly in tank-style water heaters than in tankless ones.
4. Takes Up Little Space
One of the most obvious differences between tankless and tank-style water heaters is their size. Tankless water heaters are much smaller and are designed to be mounted on the wall. This helps to keep them up and out of the way to give you more living space. Tank-style water heaters have a large cylindrical tank that takes up a good bit of space, which isn’t always ideal.
5. Multiple Fuel Options
Another advantage of a tankless water heater is they’re available in different models that use different types of fuel. For example, you can invest in an electric tankless water heater or you can invest in a propane-powered water heater. This versatility can allow you to choose a cost-effective fuel solution for your home.
6. Tax Incentives
Because tankless water heaters are so energy efficient, the federal government is rewarding homeowners who invest in them with tax incentives. These are offered under the Inflation Reduction Act and can allow homeowners to claim up to $3,200 in tax credits. For your tankless water heater to be eligible, it must have an ENERGY STAR certification and a UEF of .95 or greater.
7. Lower Utility Bills
As a homeowner, it’s very likely that one of your biggest concerns when purchasing a new water heater is how much it’s going to cost you to operate throughout the year. With a tankless water heater, you’re going to get more energy efficiency, with the EPA estimating a 34% increase in efficiency. The more efficient your water heater, the lower your utility bills will be throughout the year.
8. No Safety Risks
While traditional water heaters are considered fairly safe to have in the average home, there is always the rare possibility of a tank explosion. This tends to happen when there’s too much pressure build up inside the tank and the pressure release valve doesn’t operate as it should. With a tankless water heater, there’s no possibility of an explosion as there’s no tank for pressure to build up in.
9. No Bacterial Risk
Unfortunately, the tank environment that traditional water heaters offer can pose the perfect breeding ground for unwanted bacteria. This can develop when you allow temperatures to drop below 120 degrees Fahrenheit in your tank. This tends to be most common when homeowners turn down the temperature when they go on vacation to save energy. With a tankless water heater, there’s no worry about bacteria growth as there’s no tank for it to grow in.
10. May Need Multiple Units
Tankless water heaters are typically available with a gallon-per-minute rating, or GPM, of anywhere between 2 and 10. While this is sufficient for most households, there are going to be some larger houses that may need more gallons per minute. In these cases, homeowners would need to invest in multiple tankless water heater units to satisfy their total gallon-per-minute needs. This simply comes down to the fact that it’s very challenging to find a tankless water heater that offers more than 10 gallons per minute as they’re not widely available.
11. Can’t Adjust Flow Rate
As with any water heater purchase, you have to choose a unit that meets the hot water capacity needs of your household. One of the drawbacks of a tankless water heater is that you can’t alter its flow rate. Rather, you have to purchase a unit that has a flow rate that currently satisfies your needs. If you decide to put an addition on your home, complete with a bathroom and shower, you may find that you need to upgrade your tankless water heater or install a second one for your addition.
12. High Up-front Cost
Tankless water heaters can cost up to two times what a traditional water heater will cost. It’s also typically going to cost more for installation than with a traditional tank-style water heater.
13. Longer to Deliver Hot Water
Another potential drawback of using a tankless water heater is that it may not deliver hot water as quickly as a traditional water heater can. When water comes out of a traditional water heater into your plumbing lines it goes directly to whatever hot water faucet you turn on. When you turn on the hot water faucet for a tankless water heater, it may take a couple of moments for your tankless water heater to start warming the water running through your line. While it isn’t a drastic waiting period, it can be slightly annoying when you’re used to a tank water heater.
14. Can Be Affected by Hard Water
Unfortunately, hard water can take a toll on tankless water heaters. Mineral sediments like calcium and magnesium that are in hard water can rust out the internal components of a tankless water heater. This can shorten its overall lifespan. If your home has hard water, it’s recommended that you invest in a water softener system to treat your water before it enters your tankless water heater.
Reliable Water Heater Service
Hope Plumbing provides reliable water heater service for the Indianapolis community. We can help with all your sewer, drain, plumbing repair, water softener, gas line, leak detection, sump pump, rooter service, plumbing inspection, septic tank, and downspout needs. Call our office today to book your next consultation with our knowledgeable plumbing professionals.
