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Tankless (sometimes known as on demand) water
heaters do not store the hot water that you will
be suing. These systems heat incoming water
while it passes along a series of coils. This
system allows the water heater to be much more
energy efficient. Tankless water heaters are
available in LP, electric, and natural gas
models.
More energy efficient
A tankless water heater doesn’t use a tank to
store water, so it only heats what you will need
to use, when you need to use it. This allows
your home energy bills to be based on what you
actually use, rather than on what the water
heater has decided to store in the tank. The
energy factor of a tankless system is .69 to .80
while the tank system is only .52 to .59.
Clearly, the tankless system design is able to
perform more efficiently.
More cost effective
While the initial costs of a tankless water
heater may be higher, there is additional
information that you will want to consider. A
tank water heater system only has a lifetime of
nine years, at the very most, while a tankless
water heater can last up to twenty years because
of its design. The tankless water heater system
also maintains an efficiency of 82% over the
course of its longer lifetime, while the tank
system declines each year because of mineral
buildup.
More space effective and safer
With a tank water heater, you need to have a
bigger tank to hold more water, but this can
take up a lot of space in your home. With a
tankless system, you do not need the space of
the tank – there is no tank. Another concern of
the tank water heater system is the fact that it
can fall over in the case of an earthquake,
necessitating it to be secured to the wall or
floor. But the tankless water heater is fastened
securely to a wall, lessening the chances of
problems in the case of natural disasters and
flooding. The tank water heater system is large
and bulky, while the tankless system is small
and light – making it easy to install too.
More sanitary
With a tank water heater, you are storing warm
water until it is ready to use. However this
system creates the ideal breeding ground for
bacteria and other germs. With the tankless
water heater system, the water is always left
cold until it is ready to be heated for use –
much healthier for everyone drinking or bathing
in the water.
Longer lifetime
Without the worry of mineral buildup, the
tankless water heater system is made to last
twenty years without lessening in its
efficiency. With the tank water heater, you will
notice a decrease in efficiency over the much
short lifespan as minerals build up from storing
water in the tank.
Don’t run out of hot water again.
But what most homeowners want to know is whether
they will have hot water when they need it. With
the tank water heater, this isn’t something that
can be easily predicted. However, with the
tankless water heater system, you can always
expect the water that you need at the
temperature that you want. |
