Have you ever considered upgrading to a tankless water heater? While traditional tank water heaters are still widely common, that’s not to say that tankless water heaters haven’t been gradually growing in popularity. As a business that strives to be a one-stop shop for all things plumbing, water heaters are certainly something that we deal with each and every week. Whether that be installing new water heaters, repairing existing ones or simply providing routine maintenance services, water heaters are a plumbing component that we need to have working properly each and every day.
For those of you who are familiar with our plumbing blog, you likely know that we like to cover a wide variety of plumbing-related topics. From advice on how to best manage your plumbing system to tips on knowing which fixtures to pick out and so on, if you ever have any plumbing questions, you’re likely to find a solution on the blog! As briefly highlighted in the opening paragraph, this week’s blog post is going to be focused on water heaters and primarily on the advantages of having a tankless water heater installed. While they do come at a higher price tag, there’s a reason why so many homeowners are interested in embarking on a tankless water heater installation! With this week’s blog post, we’re going to break down many of these advantages of tankless water heaters, and shed some light on why they’re becoming more and more popular.
Increased Efficiency
Unsurprisingly, efficiency is a common term in the plumbing world and will be what we’ll kick off this week’s blog post with. Over the years, the plumbing industry has consistently placed an emphasis on producing efficient fixtures/components. Toilets that use much less water per flush and faucets that are able to operate with decreased water-usage are a couple of perfect examples of this evolving over time. A focus on improving efficiency can also be found in the water heater world too with a major bump in efficiency coming from tankless water heaters!
With that being said, what makes tankless water heaters so efficient? Have you ever heard tankless water heaters referred to as “on-demand” water heaters? That simple phrase really tells a lot of the story as to why tankless water heaters are truly known for their efficient operations. Rather than heating water in a tank (and possibly hurting the efficiency by means of heat loss), tankless water heaters only heat the water when a tap is actually opened. Hence, the reason why they’re often called “on-demand” water heaters. Even though the initial installation price may be higher than a tank water heater, this efficiency boost will add some cost savings throughout the unit’s lifespan.
Saves Space
While it is certainly not the case with all houses or commercial facilities, you will notice that the majority of water heaters are located in the basement. And depending on how much room is available in the basement, you can quickly find yourself being a little limited in terms of open space. Tank-style water heaters don’t occupy a huge amount of space by any means. Nonetheless, in order for them to operate safely, you are going to need to dedicate some space for them! As the section heading above indicates, one of the major advantages of a tankless water heater is their ability to not occupy a ton of space and in particular, require less real estate than their tank-style counterparts. Given that they are attached to the wall, it’s easy to see why this would be the case. It is important to note though that they will require vent piping up above. This is why it is worth having a professional plumber come out to take a look at everything prior to receiving an estimate on the installation!
Longer Lifespan
For most homeowners, when it comes to your plumbing system, you would like to limit the amount of plumbing issues that pop up and have the different fixtures/components last as long as possible. I think most homeowners would agree with that statement, right? With that being the case, it’s important to note that one of the biggest advantages of a tankless water heater is the fact that they should last longer than their tank water heater alternatives. While you can expect to get roughly 12 years out of a tank water heater, tankless water heaters can easily last north of 20 years. Keep in mind that (as is the case with any other plumbing fixture/component) maintenance is still going to be extremely important! Failure to properly maintain a tankless water heater can lead to it breaking down earlier than expected. So…if you’re looking for a water heater that will last the longest, then you’re likely searching for a tankless water heater!
Amount of Hot Water
When it comes time to evaluate potential water heaters on the market, you’re going to want to think about the size of the unit. With tank-style water heaters, this is pretty straightforward as water heaters are sold by the tank size with the most common residential sizes being 40-gallon and 50-gallon. Generally speaking, you can arrive at the needed size by taking note of the number of household occupants or for a more accurate decision, you’ll take the first-hour rating and then determine the most water you would use at any one time. If it’s not sized properly, you can find yourself running out of hot water, which is never a fun thing! Not to mention, if you use up all the hot water, the tank needs to fill and then heat the water.
With that in mind, why did we mention this in the blog post about tankless water heaters? Well…as long as your tankless water heater is properly sized for your normal water usage, you will essentially have an unlimited amount of hot water! By taking into account the flow rate and temperature rise (along with the expert opinion of your trusted local plumbing company), you should be able to arrive at a tankless water heater capable of effectively (and efficiently!) meeting your water heating needs!
Price Point
As we finish up this blog post all about tankless water heaters, we wanted to also mention a factor that could impact your water heater purchasing decision. While they undoubtedly offer some amazing benefits, it’s also worth noting that tankless water heaters do come at a higher price tag than the traditional tank-style water heaters most are accustomed to. Much like any other home improvement project, it’s important to weigh the costs and benefits of each potential water heater set-up. For those that live in the Kansas City area and are interested in receiving a free estimate on having a tankless water heater installed, you’re always welcome to reach out to our team by filling out the form HERE.
Tankless Water Heater Services in Kansas City
Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, we provide a full range of water heater services. Included in this is everything related to tank water heaters, which still tend to be the more popular of the two. However, as evidenced by this week’s blog post, tankless water heaters are quickly turning into a nice alternative. If you previously had any questions about tankless water heaters, we hope this helped answer your questions! Our team has installed plenty of them over the years and not only feel confident in our ability to provide professional tankless water heater installation services, but also recommend reliable brands to consider and provide advice on effectively maintaining them.
Do you live in the Kansas City area and are interested in learning more about having a tankless water heater installed at your home or commercial facility? Feel free to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 and we would be happy to give you a free estimate, as well as answer any questions you may have!