Switching to a tankless hot water heater can be a great investment

Not many people enjoy taking a cold shower; especially not an unexpected one halfway through your favorite song-in-the ?shower tune! In fact, one way to ensure your day gets off to a rough start is to go from hot to cold while enjoying a relaxing shower. While your cold shower may be the result of a selfish teenager who enjoys a soaking shower in the morning, it may also occur due to a worn out hot water heater. When you’re tired of running out of hot water in the shower and you decide it is finally time to replace that old hot water heater, consider a tankless model. Tankless hot water heaters can be a great solution to your residential hot water needs.

 

What is a tankless hot water heater?

 

Tankless hot water heaters are also referred to as on demand hot water heaters because they don’t usually store hot water, but rather create it on demand.  Typically, tank water heaters store the water and heat throughout the day to maintain a certain level of hot water readily available for use throughout your home. Unfortunately, often the demand is too much too fast and your poor old water heater just can’t keep up. The beauty of having a tankless water heater is that you never run out of hot water.

 

Saving Energy

 

Another benefit of the heating on demand system is that it saves a significant amount of energy. In today’s world, everyone is concerned about their family’s energy use; both for the environmental effects and for their utility bills. Buying a tankless hot water heater is a great way to address both of these concerns. An electric heater is even safer because there are no pilots to light. Another relatively unknown perk is that your tankless hot water heater can qualify you for a $300 federal energy tax credit! With all of these great benefits, why aren’t people running towards the tankless hot water heaters section of their nearest hardware store?

 

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Different types

 

For all the hype surrounding these appliances, there are some limitations and trade-offs to consider before you can really decide if the tankless hot water heater is for you. One thing to consider is that improper use of these appliances can be costly and disappointing.  The point-of-use and whole-house versions offer very different levels of service. Some tankless units are sized to heat a cup of tea, others to provide enough hot water for 2 or more bathrooms. The type of tanks you purchase really depends on the size of your home or space that you are servicing.  It is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations as to the type of tank or tanks needed to service areas of varying sizes. Also, the region of the country you live in has a lot to do with how much hot water a tankless water heater can produce.

 

Weighing your options

 

There are a lot of factors to consider with these units.  As is the case making any monetary investment, you need to do your research to know about the tankless water heater so you can make an informed decision. If you are not sure if this type of water heater is right for you, you can usually speak with a contractor in your area, or even with a home improvement expert at your neighborhood hardware store. Always remember that if you are not sure what type of appliance to purchase?and especially if you are not skilled in installing appliances?it is always best to leave it up to the experts!