Is a Tankless Water Heater Up to the Job in Your Cleveland Home?

Are you thinking about investing in a tankless water heater to reduce your energy use and save money on your utility bills? If so, it’s important to weigh the benefits and drawbacks to determine if this type of water heater will meet your needs.

Advantages

• You’ll have a virtually limitless supply of hot water when you need it.
• You’ll eliminate the energy waste and cost of keeping a tank of hot water on standby.
• You can reduce your water-heating costs by up to 20 percent.
• These space-saving water heaters can be installed under a cabinet, in a closet, recessed in a wall, or even outside when an anti-freeze kit is added.
• You can choose a remote-controlled unit that lets you select a water temperature, how many gallons are supplied, and provides diagnostics in the event of a problem.
• They have an average lifespan of 15-20 years, compared to 10 years for a storage tank heater.
• You’ll do away with the potential risk of flooding because there’s no tank to rupture.

Disadvantages

• Tankless units can be up to three times as expensive as storage tank heaters.
• With a gas unit, you’ll have the added cost of annual professional maintenance.
• You may have to increase the size of your existing gas line to ensure the unit has an adequate supply of fuel, unless you opt for an electric model.
• The venting necessary for gas and propane models can be expensive.
• You may need to add an extra circuit if you choose an electric model.
• Electric units can use a considerable amount of energy, which can negate potential savings.
• Your water use can increase, because it takes time for the heating mechanism to kick in.
• You may need more than one unit to handle the demands of multiple household fixtures.
• To maintain hot water at a fixture, a minimum flow rate of 1/2 gallon per minute is needed.

For expert advice about whether a tankless water heater is the right choice for your home, contact us at Stack Heating & Cooling. We’ve been helping Greater Cleveland area residents with their home comfort needs for more than 35 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about tankless water heaters and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock