How Conventional Units Work
Conventional water heaters operate by storing volumes of water and keeping them at a certain temperature. When a device draws hot water from the tank, it automatically pulls in more water and begins using energy to heat it. If the water isn’t used and drops below the set temperature, the water heater uses energy to keep it at the desired temperature. In a nutshell, conventional water heaters use energy 24 hours a day.
How Tankless Water Heaters Work
This device heats water as it flows through. It never stores any water nor does it need to. Therefore, it only uses energy when it’s being used. So instead of drawing power 24 hours a day, it only draws power when it’s needed. This can lead to a lot of money saved on utilities.
Here are the top 5 reasons to consider a tankless water heater.
Save Money
The first and foremost reason to install a tankless water heater is that they save money – and a lot of it! Tankless units cost as much as 50% less than conventional units. This savings is dependant on how many people are living in the household. The more members of a household there are, the more money that can be saved. Tankless water heaters can even save an average of 20% for single people. Here’s how it saves money.
Never Run out of Hot Water
Another cool fact about tankless water heaters is that they supply an endless supply of hot water. They must have the correct power supply and water flow. Assuming that those two factors are right, then the hot water will be endless. This is especially useful for large households.
Tankless Units are Space Savers
A tankless water heater is very compact. The unit that a smaller home would need is only 1 square foot and can be mounted under the sink. Conventional water heaters can take take up 16 square feet of space.
They are Safer
Due to the built-in innovative scalding features, tankless water heaters are much safer. Those features protect children from accidental scalding. Most units have a digital pad located on the front that allows the user to set the temperature to the desired warmth.
Efficiency is not lost with Age of the Unit
Minerals build up inside of conventional water heaters, causing them to lose efficiency. As these minerals continue to accumulate, the tank is forced to use more energy in order to keep up. More energy usage means a higher electricity bill. Tankless water heaters don’t suffer from this problem. They retain the same level of efficiency throughout their entire lifespan.
Peter Wendt is a native Texan who enjoys writing about home improvement topics and learning new ways to save money. He recommends his readers check this out for more information on this topic.