Tankless water heaters are considered an upgrade from their traditional counterparts, making them a good investment if you are looking into getting a new water heater. In today’s post, M & M Heating & Air Conditioning Service Co. shares a quick guide to tankless water heaters.
How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?
Traditional storage tank water heaters store water in a large insulated tank, which is heated by gas, fuel, or an electric furnace. A thermostat senses change in the water temperature and switches the furnace on when the water cools down and needs to be heated back up. On the other hand, tankless water heaters do not store water. Instead, it heats water as it passes through using heating coils, which lets it provide hot water on demand.
Advantages of Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless water heaters offer certain advantages over storage water tank heaters, including:
- Smaller unit. Tankless water heaters are much smaller than storage water tank heaters and are typically wall-mounted, which can help you reclaim some of your home’s floor area. Its smaller size and lack of a water storage tank make it easier to clean and maintain.
- Energy-efficient. Since tankless water heaters only use energy when you’re using them, they use only about half the energy used by a storage water tank heater.
- Longer life span. A typical tankless water heater has an expected life span of 20 years or more — twice that of storage water tank heaters.
- No waiting. Tankless water heaters provide water on demand. If you tend to be the last one to use the bathroom in the morning, you can still enjoy hot water every time.
Important Considerations
Choosing a tankless water heater for your home requires considering certain factors:
- Capacity. The faster your household uses up hot water at a given time, the more powerful the heater your home will need.
- Compatibility with your gas line. Should you choose a gas-fired water heater over an electric one, your heating technician should make sure that the heater is compatible with your existing gas line.
- Hydronic heating. If your home heating is heated using water from the boiler, talk to your heating or HVAC technician about keeping the same home heating system or replacing it with a different system.
Call M & M for Your Heating Needs
M & M Heating & Air Conditioning Service Co. provides heating and air conditioning services to customers in Stockton and the surrounding communities. Call us at (209) 952-6580 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.
