When you’re looking for a new hot water heater, you might find a lot of buzz online about tankless units. Tankless water heaters use on-demand technology to heat up water only when you need it. Unlike tank water heaters, which keep large reservoirs of water hot all throughout the day, tankless water heaters only need to heat up water in short bursts, as needed, which is what makes them such efficient systems. But does this really make them better?
Advantages of Tankless Technology
There are many reasons to purchase a tankless water heater for your next install, even if you’ve only ever had conventional tank water heaters up until this point.
- Small – Tankless water heaters save space, since they don’t need to keep a huge tank of water around.
- Efficient – “Standby energy loss” is the term used for all the water wasted when a tank water heater remains on throughout the day, despite the limited need for hot water in a household. Tankless units don’t have this issue.
- Unlimited – Some complain that a tank water heater runs out of hot water too soon, while a tankless water heater can keep on providing it as long as you need, provided it’s in good condition.
Disadvantages of Tankless Water Heaters
However, that doesn’t mean a tankless unit is always the best option.
- Costly – Conventional tank water heaters tend to be less expensive to install, which is sometimes the biggest concern for homeowners.
- Time Consuming – Depending on the location of the tankless water heater, it can take a long time before hot water reaches your faucet.
- Unpredictable – We have heard some complaints in the past about tankless water heaters that provide an unreliable stream of hot water, with the occasional burst of cold. In larger households, you often need several tankless units to solve this problem, at a greater cost to you.
Talk to Professionals
A tankless water heater is an efficient option, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best one in all situations. The best way to determine if a tankless water heater is right for you is to speak with a local technician.
Call Bartels Heating & Cooling today to schedule tankless or tank water heater installation or service in Fairfield, or to speak with one of our professionals.