What Are the Benefits of Having a Tankless Water Heater Installed?

What size tankless water heater should I get?

Buying a tankless water heater system isn’t as simple as buying a standard tank-style water heater. There is some mathematics involved beyond the basic price.  And because of this complexity, it is recommended to use a professional tankless water heater installation service that will assist you in determining the correct size. 

Because, like the traditional tank-style water heater, size will matter with the tankless water heater too. Too small, you’ll still be running out of hot water. Too large, and it is a waste of money for something you may never use.  An overview of choosing the right size for your tankless water heater involved 2 factors: 

• GPM (Flow Rate): This is how much hot water is needed in your home at any time. 
• Temperature Rise: The difference between the desired temperature and the incoming cold-water temperature. 

The first thing the professional installer will ask you is how many fixtures in your home use hot water. Obviously, all the sinks, showers, tub, dishwasher, and washing machine. 

The flow rate is measured in GPM (gallons per minute). This rate is needed to determine the amount of hot water your tankless water heater will need to produce. 

Next, the temperature difference between the groundwater and the desired water is needed to determine how much the tankless water heater needs to heat the water. 

The faucet temperature is typically between 110° F and 120° F, and groundwater temperature averages around 57° F in most of the country. In the southern portions of the U.S., it is in the range of 70° F, but in the northern part, it is closer to freezing. The more range difference, the fewer fixtures a tankless water heater can supply. 

What are the benefits of a tankless water heater?

The many benefits you can expect from your tankless water heater installation include: 

• Energy Efficiency: The traditional tank-style water heater is continuously heating the water. With a tankless water heater, it will only heat what is needed and when it is needed, meaning you’re using as much as 34% less energy! 

• Lower Water Bills: Because you won’t be running water “waiting” for it to heat up before stepping into the shower, you’ll save 100s of dollars annually. 

• Life Span: Tankless water heaters last up to ten years longer than the standard tank-style water heater. Keep the recommended maintenance, and you could get 20 years from your tankless water heater. 

• Hot Water Endless: A standard home with a full family often runs out of hot water frequently because everyone is trying to shower, wash clothes and run the dishwasher. The heating element just can’t keep up with the demand. Because a tankless water heater only heats the water when needed, it won’t run out. 

• Save Space: The traditional tank-style water heater holds between 40 and 60 gallons of water. They are around 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide. In many homes, there is a closet just for the water heater, or it is taking up space in the basement or laundry room. A tankless water heater is much smaller, taking up less ‘real estate’ inside the home with basic measurements of twenty-eight inches high by twenty inches wide and ten inches deep. 

• Less Maintenance: A standard tank-style water heater has recommended annual maintenance, and if you’re in a hard water area, that maintenance is every 6 months. With the tankless water heater system, there is minimal upkeep and can usually go 5 years before any type of maintenance is needed. If you live in a hard water area, having a water softener installed is recommended to help make that 5-year plan.   

Are there any drawbacks to tankless water heaters, can you run out of water with a tankless water heater?

There are six drawbacks to a tankless water heater system that you should consider before making this investment: 

High Upfront Cost: A common first question is, is a tankless water heater expensive to install? And the answer is, yes, a tankless water heater costs more because of the installation factor. Most homes will require special wiring, sometimes the plumbing or gas lines needed altering.  by far is the high upfront cost of the unit and installation. How much does a tankless water heater cost? On average, a tankless water heater system that is replacing a 50-gallon tank-style water heater will cost up to $3,000, maybe more. 

Hot Water Takes Longer: This is confusing since the tankless water heater is often referred to as “on-demand”, but one downside is it takes this type of water heater longer to generate the hot water and get it delivered where needed. This is because they do not keep water hot in a tank as the traditional style does. They are not instantly heating the water as most people picture.

Cold Water Sandwich: A cold water sandwich has become a common term used in describing a tankless water heater system. That is because the surge of hot water initially received is followed by a surge of cold water, with hot water returning.

Water Temperature Inconsistent: Yes, we have touted that a tankless water heater system allows everyone to take a shower, one right after the other. But that doesn’t mean altogether while the dishwasher is running too. When there are multiple showers taking place at the same time, the tankless water heater isn’t going to be able to stay with the demand. This is where the mathematics comes into being used when purchasing your tankless water heater system. 

Is a tankless water heater better than a gas water heater?

When you consider a tank-style gas water heater is going to have a tank of water heated and ready to go, while the tankless water heater will need a bit of time to get the water heated and delivered, then no, the gas water heater is the better option. If you’re on gas power and considering switching from tank-style to tankless, consider the expense of the gas line being rerouted too.