Tankless Water Heaters Pros and Cons
Tankless water heaters have proven reliable and efficient since their inception. Every homeowner who has upgraded from conventional heating systems to tankless units will tell you that the long-term value balances the high upfront cost. Understanding the pros and cons of tankless water heaters before replacing your water heater lets you make a better decision.
Wondering what your home heating options are in Calgary? The Canadian winter usually compels people to make essential and, at times, costly decisions for their home’s comfort and safety. Also, read how hot water heaters work and the prices of water tanks.
Pros of Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless water heaters have many valuable features that make them perfect heating systems for modern homes. You will reap the following benefits from buying high-quality and well-designed tankless water heaters from leading world brands.
Limitless Water Supply
Tank-type water heaters heat and keep the water in the tank hot until you need it. If you are constantly running out of hot water, you need a larger tank or invest in a tankless water heater. On the other hand, if you’ve got a tankless water heater, the flow of hot water in your home will never stop. These heaters heat the water the moment they are activated, so provided you’re connected to a municipal water supply, no member of your family will ever miss a shower because of hot water issues.
Long-Term Cost Savings
The primary reason tankless water heaters are in high demand is because of their efficiency. Tank-type water heaters have to use energy continuously to maintain the high water temperature. As the tank losses heat to the surrounding, the water has to be heated to raise the temperature, which leads to standby heat loss. Since tankless water heaters use water on demand, there is no reason to waste power on the water you are not storing.
On average, each Canadian uses 75 Litres of hot water at home daily. Water heaters account for 19.3% of the energy used in the average Canadian home.
On the other hand, a tankless water heater uses 30% less energy, on average, than a storage tank type.
Tankless Water Heaters Take Minimal Spacing
Another of the qualities that make tankless water heaters superior to tank-type units is their minimally-invasive installation approach. With tankless water heaters, there is no need to dig up and destroy your surroundings or property. These systems are small in size and can fit anywhere within your home interior space.
No Cases of Water Damage
As time goes on, tank-type water heaters are likely to experience leakage issues. As these systems heat water, the hard water supplied to the tanks builds up in the tank walls, eroding the metallic materials and causing leakages. Leakages can ultimately lead to over-flooding in your indoor spacing. Tankless water heaters don’t have tanks that can rust or leak, so you rarely have to worry about water damage or flooding issues.
Long Service Life
Tankless water heaters have a long service life. Everyone wants a product that surpasses quality and durability preferences, and tankless water heaters do more than that. With minimal maintenance work, most tankless water heaters can serve you for more than 15 years.
Long-Term Warranties
Manufacturers ensure that tankless hot water heating systems are solid and durable. The manufacturers trust in the quality of their products, so most of them offer their products with long-term warranties. You’ll often find the least water heater warranty period is 20 years.
Cons of Installing Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Tankless hot water systems aren’t 100% without blemishes. There are some areas, which if improved, could make these hot water heating systems perfect.
The Upfront Cost is Pretty High
One issue tankless hot water consumers have complained about is the pretty high purchase and installation costs. To give you a clear picture of how high the cost of installing a tankless water heating system is, we will compare a 50-gallon tank-type water heating system. The total costs of buying and installing a 50-gallon tank-type water heater won’t exceed $1000, while the cost of installing a tankless water heater of the same size will be more than $2500. The costly installation mainly influences the high price of tankless water heaters. Getting a tankless water heater to fit in your old home will require adjustments on the vent piping, wiring, and other related fixtures.
The Water Isn’t Instant as Advertised
Tank-style water heaters keep heated water ready for delivery. As for tankless water heaters, the unit has to heat the water flowing through it first. So, any cold water in the pipes transfers to you before the hot water. You may have to wait a few seconds for the hot water.
Additional Equipment
Another common issue with tankless water heaters is installing other equipment for the unit to perform efficiently. You’ll need to buy and install a water softener, gas line, or 120-volt circuit, most of which may not be available in your home. These additional requirements and fixtures add to the final installation cost besides taking longer for the installation work to be complete.
Pros and Cons of Tankless Water Heaters: Conclusion
Manufacturers specially design tankless water heating systems to ensure you get hot water whenever you need it in your home, whether for bathing, washing or showering. These systems are proven to be more efficient and durable compared to tank-type units. As mentioned above, while these heating systems are excellent in multiple areas, they also have some areas that need to be improved.
If you would like to find more information on tankless water heaters, contact your local plumber or Furnace Repair Calgary at (587) 316-1027.
