If you’re looking for a way to save money on your utility costs, you’ve most likely had someone recommend a tankless water heater. This type of water heating can provide savings on monthly bills, but only if you use a lot of hot water. Keep reading to learn about tankless units so you can have a better understanding of whether a tankless setup is right for your home.
Proper Sizing Is Essential to the Unit’s Performance
Any time you have a new water heater installed, tankless or tank-style, it must be properly sized to your home’s hot water needs to provide enough hot water without unnecessary energy waste. It’s the sizing process that varies between the two types. For a tank-style unit, the plumber does the sizing based on your household’s peak-hour demand and the unit’s first-hour rating. For a tankless setup, it’s the flow rate and required temperature rise that determine the appropriate size.
Tankless Units Can Run Out of Hot Water
Just because a tankless unit heats the water on demand, this doesn’t mean you’ll never run out of hot water. If you have multiple showers, faucets, or water-using appliances running at the same time, it’s possible to overwhelm the setup’s ability to heat all the water as fast as you need it.
You May Need a Larger Gas Line
You can’t just remove an old gas tank-style water heater and put a tankless version in its place. There’s a good chance the gas line will need to be updated to a larger size because of the higher rate of gas input the system requires to heat the water.
Tankless Units Still Need Regular Maintenance
Even though sediment buildup inside a tank is not a worry with tankless units because there isn’t a tank, your system will still need regular maintenance. Calcium and magnesium can build up on the inside of the heat exchanger, which can restrict water flow and interfere with the heat transfer process. With annual maintenance, you can rest easy knowing a plumber will flush and descale the unit as needed to remove mineral buildup before it starts affecting the equipment’s performance.
Potential Savings Vary From One Home to the Next
Just because your family member across town has a tankless unit installed and saves 10% on their water heating costs doesn’t mean you’ll achieve these same savings. It also doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy savings that are even greater. It really comes down to how much hot water you use, local energy prices, and the efficiency of your tankless setup.
Talking with a local plumber is the best way to learn about tankless water heaters and the benefits they bring to homes in your area. This person will be happy to answer any questions you have about system sizing, compatibility concerns, and potential installation costs. When you need tankless water heater services in Newnan, GA, contact E Dennis AC.
