HOT WATER HEATERS ARE THE MOST NECESSARY water appliance in your home that you likely do not give much thought to. You use them all day, every day. From your nice warm showers to making sure your clothes and dishes are clean, hot water heaters are crucial to a healthy and comfortable day.
Most people know their hot water heaters to be the big tank in their basement or garage. The tank is holding hot water that is ready to come through your nice warm shower on a cold, winter morning. Unfortunately, that tank must always heat the water in the tank – even if it’s not going to be used any time soon!
tankless saves money – it only heats the water when it is needed!
So how do tankless hot water heaters differ? Why should you consider them? Let’s look at a few reasons.
Reason 1: Lower Operating Costs
Another name for tankless hot water heaters is on-demand hot water heaters. Unlike the 50 or 75 gallon water tanks that sit in most homes, tankless are typically wall-mounted and only heat up the water when it is needed.
Because you are not constantly needing to keep the water tank heated (think about when you’re sleeping or when you’re at work!), this can have considerable energy savings. For homes that use less water, tankless can be up to 35% more energy efficient. For homes that use more water (such as large families), tankless are around 10% more energy efficient.
That translates into direct savings back into your pocket!
Reason 2: Longer Lasting
Tankless hot water heaters are more expensive up-front due to the production and installation costs of these appliances. But, tankless also tend to last far longer.
A traditional water heater has a life expectancy of 10 – 15 years. Tankless have a life expectancy of more than 20 years and their parts are relative easy to replace meaning that this could be extended.
Additionally, you may qualify for federal tax credits for a tankless water heater with the 2021 energy credits and extensions. Please check with your local tax advisor and federal and state tax laws to determine if you would receive this credit.
Reason 3: Lower Water Damage Risk
With a traditional hot water heater, you run the risk of water damage if the tank would rupture. At JW Plumbing, we have seen first-hand the damage a 75 gallon tank rupture can do to a finished basement!
Tankless is not storing water at any time so this risk is all but removed. You can leave on vacation not having to worry about this particular issue. (Of course, we still recommend a whole-home auto shut off!)
Reason 4: Get Your Space Back
A 50 or 75 gallon tank can take up a lot of room in a basement or garage. Tankless, fortunately, require absolutely no floor space and are typically wall-mounted. If you’ve ever wanted to increase your storage or livable space, tankless is absolutely a way to do that!
Reason 5: Property Value
When you install a tankless hot water heater, any future buyer of your home will enjoy the increase in energy savings (not to mention the other advantages we just discussed!). As a result, you should be able to ask for higher prices when listing your home.
Summary
Tankless hot water heaters are a great technology. At JW Plumbing, we install traditional AND tankless, but we encourage you to consider tankless if you are looking to get a new hot water heater. Please contact us with any questions or to request an estimate!