Tankless Water Heaters Offer Energy Efficiency, Cost Savings, and Peace of Mind

Highly efficient tankless water
heaters are also compact and
can install almost anywhere.

Want to find out more about tankless water heaters? Before we delve into this interesting appliance, it's useful to know that a tankless water heater can go by other names that are equally descriptive. It's sometimes called an "instantaneous" water heater because it delivers hot water so quickly. Tankless water heaters are also referred to as "demand" or "on-demand" water heaters, because they only heat water when the faucet or washing machine is turned on. OK, now that the terminology is clarified, ask yourself a few questions:

• Would you like to cut your water-heating expenses by as much as 45%?
• How nice would it be to never run out of hot water while you're taking a shower?
• Wouldn't it be nice to know that your water heater isn't costing you money while you're at work, on vacation, or away from the house? (A tank-type water heater has to keep working even when you're not using hot water, because when the stored water drops below a certain temperature, it's automatically reheated.)
• Would you feel better knowing that you didn't have a huge tank of water that could flood your basement, crawl space or utility room if it started to leak?

A high efficiency tankless water
heater saves energy and money.

If you answered "yes" or "very nice" to any of these questions, a tankless water heater might be in your future. There are a couple of additional advantages worth mentioning. Most residential-size tankless heaters are fairly compact - a rectangular box about the size of a medium suitcase. A tankless water heater won't take up nearly as much room as a tank-type water heater, and it can be mounted on the wall.

Starting with a home energy audit, your local Dr. Energy Saver can help identify how much savings you will receive from a tankless water heater and be able to recommend the proper size system needed for your home. Call or contact us for a home energy audit and tankless water heater diagnosis and estimate today!

Tankless water heaters have been around a long time. They're universally accepted in Europe, where energy costs have been high for many years. This long track record has improved safety, efficiency and durability. Today's tankless water heaters have electronic controls and most gas-fired models don't require a pilot light. Instead, they use the same piezo-electric ignition system found on gas stoves and grills.

There are a few limitations and disadvantages, of course. Although you can buy electric or gas (natural gas or propane) heaters, gas models are more efficient and thus more popular. A gas-fired tankless water heater must be vented. To avoid the expense and complication of running a metal flue through the roof, you can choose a "direct-vent" model that simply vents exhaust though an exterior wall.

A tankless water heater requires some maintenance, just like a tank-type water heater. Mostly, this involves removing "scale" or mineral deposits from the heat exchanger. Price is another factor in making the switch from tank to tankless. A tankless water heater can cost two or more times the price of a new tank-type water heater. But a properly maintained tankless unit is likely to outlast a tank-type water heater. If you use a lot of hot water, and if you plan to stay in your house for a few years, this investment in home energy savings can pay off, while providing more convenience and peace of mind in the bargain.

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