Tankless Water Heater: What You Need to Know Before You Buy
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Tired of running out of hot water Jacksonville? That’s not a problem with one of these compact, ultra-efficient units that heat water as you need it. Here’s what you need to know about choosing, installing, and living with a tankless water heater.
Think about it: The way most households in this country heat water is absurdly wasteful. We fill up big 40- to 50-gallon storage tanks, then pour energy into them 24/7, year in and year out, to make sure we have hot water at the ready whenever we want it. But often it doesn’t work out that way. If a teenager takes a long shower, or a spouse settles in for a tub soak, there can be a long wait for that emptied tank to reheat. Then there are the nagging worries: Is it filled with energy-robbing sediment? Will it spring a leak? Both are reasonable concerns, as tanks generally fail in 8 to 12 years. |
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Tankless Water Heater Installation: Is It Worth It?
These are the arguments for investing in a tankless water heater. It generates hot water only when you need it—and for as long as you need it—saving 27 to 50 percent of fuel costs over tank-type heaters. (A typical gas-fired tank wastes 40 to 50 percent of the fuel it burns.)
And because there’s no tank to fail, there’s almost no chance of a catastrophic leak. What’s more, since their introduction in the United States in the 1990s, tankless heaters have become increasingly sophisticated, with features like built-in recirculating pumps (for “instant” hot water), and wireless connectivity that tells you via smartphone exactly when a unit needs maintenance.
Below is our guide to tankless water heaters. In it, we’ll explain how a tankless water heater works, tell you what you need to know before you buy one—and before the installer arrives—and let you in on the units’ operating quirks, so there won’t be any surprises if you go tankless.
And because there’s no tank to fail, there’s almost no chance of a catastrophic leak. What’s more, since their introduction in the United States in the 1990s, tankless heaters have become increasingly sophisticated, with features like built-in recirculating pumps (for “instant” hot water), and wireless connectivity that tells you via smartphone exactly when a unit needs maintenance.
Below is our guide to tankless water heaters. In it, we’ll explain how a tankless water heater works, tell you what you need to know before you buy one—and before the installer arrives—and let you in on the units’ operating quirks, so there won’t be any surprises if you go tankless.
How Does a Tankless Water Heater Work?
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Thanks to: Phillip Maxwell, Residential Product Manager, Rheem; Eric Manzano, Product Training Supervisor, Noritz; Joe Holliday Senior Director, Product and Business Development, Rinnai; Fred Molina, Water Heater Products Manager, Bosch Thermotechnology |
What to Know About Tankless Water Heaters
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How to Install a Tankless Water Heater
This is definitely a job for a pro, as it involves making leak-free water, vent, and gas connections, in the case of gas or propane units, or upgrading the wiring and circuit-breaker panel, in the case of electric units
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How Long Do Tankless Water Heaters Last?
Gas-burning tankless water heaters should operate for 20 years or more, two or three times longer than tank-type heaters. Tankless electric units have shorter life spans, on the order of 7 to 10 years.
