An Introduction To Tankless Water Heaters

The traditional way to heat water is to hold a quantity of it in a tank, and to maintain it at an even temperature via either a gas flame or electrodes. But, maintaining a tank of hot water even when no one is using it may not seem very economical. Tankless water heaters, though, will only heat water when there's actually a need for it. Vendors say that these new units can save much on energy expenses. But, are they right for everyone? Let's look at some pros and cons.

These new units use high-powered burners to heat the water as it goes through. Independent tests have shown that they do indeed cut energy costs. They're also more compact, and don't take up as much space as the conventional tank units. In fact, many can be mounted on a wall, so that no floor space is used at all.

Several sizes are available, for swimming pools, point of service, or whole house. Another suggested way to use them is supplement a solar system, for those times when there's no sun.

Previously, these new units were priced substantially higher than tank-type units were. That would have made the new units a questionable value, since it would have taken too long to amortize the higher price with the savings on energy costs. (One test showed it taking 22 years to make up for the higher unit price, even though it had an estimated life of only 20 years.)

But, in recent years, the price differential has apparently been narrowing. Some makes are still rather expensive, but others are priced at not that much more than the tank-types.

When comparing prices on these units, buyers will want to take installation costs into consideration. Because of the new high-powered burners, they'll use energy at a higher rate any time that they're actually running. So, you may find that you'll have to install a heavier-duty type of wiring for the electric models, or a larger gas line for the gas models. Also, the gas models may require either the installation of a new vent system, or an upgrade to the existing one.

And, according to some studies, the new units might require more upkeep than the conventional tank-type ones, to prevent the build-up of scale. Anyone who's considering purchasing one might want to consider the purchase of a water softening system in order to help prevent scale from forming.

So, are the new tankless water heaters right for you? If you search the web, you'll find information to help you decide.

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