Pros and Cons of a Tankless Water Heater

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Tankless water heaters have grown in popularity over the years. Known for their ability to save you money in energy savings, these units provide an on-demand style of operations – only turning on when you use hot water inside your home.

But, as with any purchase, there are both pros and cons for tankless water heaters. The Brooklyn plumbing experts at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning are here to provide you with the information you need to determine if a tankless water heater is right for you. Keep reading or simply give our Brooklyn water heater experts a call!

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How Does A Tankless Water Heater Work?

If you’re using a water heater, you could be running out of hot water much faster and using more water in the process. A tankless system can provide on-demand heat and can be installed close to wherever hot water is needed. This allows homeowners to save on their water bills, as the hot water can arrive almost instantly.

But a central water heater just wastes water, it wastes energy, too. With these units, a large tank of water has to be kept hot all the time, even when it’s not in use. In contrast, a tankless water heater can heat water at the point of use, allowing you to save more water, energy and money.

Tankless Water Heater Pros

1) Save Money

Tankless water heaters are much more efficient than their traditional counterparts. According to the Department of Energy, homeowners will save 27% to 50% more in energy savings with a tankless water heater. The savings are created because the water heater only turns on when hot water is running from the tap or appliances are in use.

2) Save Space

If space is a concern for your family, tankless water heaters may be for you. As the name implies, these units do not require a tank to operate, leaving much more room to work with. These units are typically mounted to a wall, leaving more room around the water heater.

3) Unlimited Hot Water

If you have a big family, you know that running out of hot water can be a concern. For example, if three people take a shower consecutively, there is a chance that the fourth person taking a shower will be bathing in cold water. Tankless water heaters solve that problem. While there is a chance to run out of hot water if multiple appliances are being used at once, you won’t have any issues if these things are down consecutively – i.e., if three people take a shower one right after the other.

4) Longer Life Span

Most standard water heaters have an expected life of about 10 years. However, tankless water heaters are usually expected to last for at least 20 years, so you don’t have to replace tankless water heaters nearly as often, which can offset some of the initial costs of converting to a tankless water heater.

5) Environmental Benefits

Tankless water heaters use less energy, which can help the environment while saving you money on your energy bill. Large-scale use of tankless water heaters can also help many cities that have hot weather in the summer by reducing the amount of power used, helping to prevent brownouts and blackouts. Using a tankless water heater also helps to reduce pollution, as standard water heaters will end up in landfills faster than tankless water heaters because they have a shorter life span. Standard water heaters aren’t biodegradable either, while many tankless water heaters are manufactured to be recycled when they are no longer serviceable.

6) Less Maintenance

Beyond just helping homeowners save money, we prefer tankless units to Brooklyn’s traditional hot water systems because they have long-term benefits for comfort and maintenance. These heaters can last upwards of 30 years, nearly three times the standard lifespan for today’s tank-style heaters, and only require minimal maintenance.

Tankless Water Heater Cons

1) Higher Upfront Costs

Tankless water heaters have a higher upfront investment than traditional water heaters. These units can be as much as three times more expensive initially than tank-style water heaters. The cost of a tankless water heater, including installation, can be as high as $3,000.

2) Limited Hot Water Flow

When running appliances simultaneously, the amount of hot water within a tankless unit is limited. Tankless water heaters cannot keep up with the flow if hot water is being used in multiple areas at the same time.   

3) Need for Additional Equipment

In some cases, additional equipment may be required to maximize the benefit of having a tankless water heater. Hard water can put a strain on the unit and make it more likely to break down. Because of this, a water softening system may be required to keep the unit under warranty.

How to Know if a Tankless Water Heater is Right for Your Home

When it’s time to replace your water heater, Petri can help you decide if a tankless water heater is the right fit. You’ve got a lot of models to choose from, but there are generally only two types: tank-style heaters, and tankless heaters. Tankless water heaters are the new kids on the block, and they offer a few helpful tricks that older models typically can’t provide.  

Ready to Install a Tankless Water Heater?

If your conventional water heater is an older model near the end of its useful life, talk to the licensed professionals at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning about whether a tankless water heater would be a good fit for your needs. We can also inspect your plumbing system to keep it performing at its best. Contact us at (718) 748-1254 today!

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