A tankless water heater doesn’t store hot water like a traditional tank model. Instead, it heats water on demand when a faucet is opened.
They require larger gas pipes and electrical circuits than tank models, which can increase installation costs. They also have a limited flow rate, so they need to be properly sized for household needs.
Gas-Fired
A gas-fired tankless water heater is a great option for households that use lots of hot water or for homes located in cold climates where water freezes in traditional storage tanks. These units heat water on demand instead of constantly heating a large volume of water, which makes them much more energy efficient than conventional tank models.
They can also be installed indoors or outdoors, depending on your home’s climate. Indoor units must be properly vented to avoid condensation and other safety issues. The installation process typically involves running a new gas line and installing the unit within your home. It’s important to choose a quality manufacturer that offers reliable warranty coverage and customer support, so you can trust your new system will work correctly for years to come.
When your hot water faucet is turned on, a flow sensor detects the flow and signals the control panel to start producing hot water. The water flows to the heat exchanger, where either a gas burner or an electric heating element warms it. The water is then delivered through a set of pipes to your home’s fixtures, ensuring you never run out of hot water.
Because they only heat water on demand, tankless water heaters can save you up to 34% in energy costs compared to storage tanks. They’re also safer and more environmentally friendly because they limit exposure to dissolved toxic metals, which can occur in high concentrations in hot water that has been stored for long periods of time.
A tankless water heater can last more than 20 years, which is double the lifespan of traditional tank models. Moreover, they require significantly less maintenance than traditional units, as they don’t need to reheat a full tank of water on a regular basis.
It’s important to have your tankless water heater professionally installed by a trained, experienced plumber. If not installed correctly, these systems can fail and lead to insufficient hot water and other problems. An expert can ensure you get a properly functioning tankless water heater that provides you with years of comfort and savings.
Electric
Electric tankless water heaters are the ideal solution for homeowners who wish to reduce energy costs by eliminating energy consumption from heating and reheating a standing water tank even when hot water isn’t needed. They’re also perfect for households that may experience a sudden drop in water pressure or a frequent run out of hot water when using multiple showerheads and appliances simultaneously. Their compact designs enable them to mount on your wall, tuck into an out-of-the-way closet, or even be installed indoors where no room for a large water tank is available.
When a hot water faucet is turned on, a flow sensor detects the presence of water and activates an electric heating element to heat it. The heating element keeps heating the water until the sensor senses that no more hot water is being demanded by the faucet (you turn off the tap). Then, a small amount of cold water enters the piping to flush out the heating elements and the hot water reverts back to normal temperature.
For this reason, it’s important to select an appropriate-sized tankless water heater for your household needs. To do this, you’ll need to know your incoming water temperature, the desired output water temperature and your typical daily usage (how many gallons per minute of hot water are consumed). You can use an online calculator to determine this information for you or consult a plumber to help with the calculations. If you’re considering upgrading to a tankless water heater, it’s essential to have it installed correctly to ensure efficiency and longevity—hiring a professional service plumber West Jordan can help you get the job done right.
An electric tankless water heater also eliminates the need to store and maintain a large amount of hot water in reserve, which reduces your upfront installation costs compared to traditional tanks. However, it’s worth mentioning that since they require electricity to function, they can be more expensive to operate than gas-fired tankless models. In addition, some models will only produce from two gallons up to five gallons of hot water per minute, which can be insufficient for larger households with multiple users at the same time. Despite this drawback, an electric tankless water heater is still a great choice for most homes and commercial applications.
Heat Pump
Tankless water heaters don’t have storage tanks, which means they only heat up water when you turn on a hot water tap. When you activate a hot water tap, cold water travels through the unit, and either an electric or gas burner ignites to heat the water. When the demand for hot water ends, the unit cools and then returns to a dormant state until the next tap is activated.
Because they don’t have storage tanks, they use a fraction of the energy that traditional water heaters do. This also means they are environmentally friendlier, reducing their carbon footprint and the risk of environmental hazards like Legionella. They also save space in your home, and can be installed in locations where a traditional water heater can’t go.
The one thing that can make this type of heater a little inconvenient is the delay in getting hot water after you turn off the tap. It takes a bit of time for the hot water to reach the tap, since the piping and the tank must heat up again. However, this is usually only an inconvenience when you are using a lot of hot water at once.
There are different types of tankless water heaters, and the type that you choose will depend on your needs and energy usage. Both electric and gas units use a heat exchanger to warm the water. They are available as point-of-use units, for one or two faucets, or whole-house units that provide hot water to all the taps in your home. Electric tankless water heaters are more common, since they require less upfront investment and can be cheaper to install than gas units. However, electric units have a lower efficiency rating than gas ones. This is because they don’t capture and recycle heat from the exhaust gases, as condensing units do. They can also cost more to operate over the long term, because of this inefficiency.
Other
The main benefit of a tankless water heater is that it saves energy by heating only the water needed, as opposed to constantly reheating hot water stored in a large tank. This energy efficiency also helps reduce your electricity or natural gas bills. You can expect to pay more upfront for a tankless water heater, but this system will pay for itself in the long run thanks to the savings on your utility bills.
You’ll need to consider your household’s needs and your location when determining the type of tankless water heater that’s best for your home. Other factors to consider include the fuel type, size and energy efficiency. A tankless water heater that uses gas will require special venting and may require an upgraded meter for your home’s gas supply. Electric tankless water heaters are usually smaller and can be plugged into a standard outlet, but they may require a larger electrical circuit to meet their power requirements.
Another consideration is the flow rate of a tankless water heater. The higher the flow rate, the more hot water the unit can supply per minute. You’ll also want to select a model with an appropriate gas flow rate for your area’s average groundwater temperature and household use patterns. You can find this information in the owner’s manual or product specification sheet for the heater you’re interested in.
A gas-powered tankless water heater with an intermittent ignition device (IID) will use less gas than one that features a standing pilot light, as the IID only burns when water flows through it. The IID also makes your gas heater safer, as it will shut off automatically if there’s a leak.
Electric tankless water heaters can be either point-of-use units that are installed near a specific sink or a whole-house model that’s responsible for heating all the hot water sources in your home. Point-of-use units are often preferred because they minimize hot water waste by only heating the water that’s being used, and they’re easier to install in small spaces. Whole-house tankless water heaters are more difficult to install, and they’re often more expensive up front.
