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Having a reliable supply of hot water is essential for your home in Fort Worth, TX. For decades, a storage tank water heater was the most popular option to ensure that, and that is the type most homes have today. However, they’re not the only option. You could also select a tankless water heater to meet your home’s needs. Here’s everything you need to know about them to decide if one is right for you.
What Is a Tankless Water Heater
As its name implies, a tankless water heater is a system that produces hot water without storing it in a tank. Instead, it makes the hot water needed as demand requires. Tankless water heaters are also known as demand-type or instantaneous water heaters. They include a heating element, a flow sensor, and a heat exchanger.
The History of Tankless Water Heaters
Although you may not know it, tankless water heaters have a history nearly as long as their storage tank cousins. The first tankless water heater appeared in 1889, the same year as the first commercially available storage tank model. However, the first tankless heater was inefficient and unsuited for widespread use. It wasn’t until 1929 that the first electric tankless heater hit the market. Those were much cheaper to manufacture, helping the systems gain market share. Still, tankless heaters remained a niche solution for installations where storage tanks wouldn’t fit.
By the 1970s, improvements in materials and design saw tankless water heaters reach efficiency parity with storage tanks. Unfortunately, by then, storage tanks had virtually cornered the US market. Their near ubiquity and high production rates made them the cheapest option, which they remain today.
Tankless water heaters are becoming more popular as their efficiencies climb and prices fall. In fact, most modern gas-fired tankless systems are significantly more efficient than storage tanks. According to the Department of Energy, they can be up to 34% more efficient.
The Advantages of Tankless Water Heaters
Aside from their energy efficiency, tankless water heaters have significant benefits relative to storage tanks. Here are the most important advantages.
Unlimited Hot Water
One of the best attributes of a tankless water heater is its ability to produce an endless supply of hot water. When you call for hot water, a tankless heater turns on and continues producing hot water until demand ceases. As long as your tankless has fuel, it can run almost indefinitely. Storage tanks, by contrast, only provide as much hot water as their tank size allows. After that, they need time to replenish their supply before you can use hot water again.
Excellent Longevity
Tankless water heaters also boast excellent longevity when appropriately maintained. Most models will last between 20 and 25 years. That’s about double the lifespan of the average storage tank heater. If you invest in strategic part replacements, some tankless systems will exceed their expected lifespan significantly.
Low Maintenance Needs
Another advantage of tankless water heaters is their low maintenance needs. Generally speaking, most tankless systems only need regular yearly maintenance tasks. One is cleaning their heating elements. Another is cleaning their water inlet filters. The most involved maintenance procedure tankless systems need is periodic sediment flushes. Most need a flush once a year, except in homes with hard water. Those may need bi-annual flushes to operate at peak efficiency and capacity. Also, you can pair your tankless with a water softener to eliminate any potential problems.
Space Savings
A tankless water heater is also significantly smaller than a comparable storage tank model. It’s wall-mounted, saving floor space. The largest tankless systems are approximately 30 inches by 25 inches. Small tankless systems are even designed for point-of-use installation. For example, you could install one under a sink to produce hot water on the spot.
Improved Safety
Finally, tankless water heaters are a lot safer than storage tanks. For one thing, they don’t come with any significant flood risk. Storage tank heaters can do tremendous damage to your home if they fail. A damaged tank could release its stored contents, overwhelming its drain pan and flooding your home. With a tankless, the only risk of flooding comes from leaks, which are far less destructive. Plus, you can turn off a tankless water supply to halt a leak, which won’t necessarily stop a leaking storage tank.
The Disadvantages of Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless water heaters aren’t perfect and may not fit certain use cases well. Here are their main disadvantages.
Higher Upfront Costs
A tankless water heater may cost two or three times as much as a comparable storage tank model. Plus, if you’re installing a tankless unit for the first time, modifications to your home’s plumbing will increase your upfront cost. It’s worth pointing out that the longevity of the average tankless system may make their costs easier to bear.
Limited Flow Rates
With a typical storage tank water heater, you can use hot water in as many locations simultaneously as you want. The only hard limit is the total amount of stored hot water. Tankless heaters, by contrast, have maximum flow rates. They can only produce a specific volume of hot water at a time. So, if you try to use too many faucets or fixtures simultaneously, you may run short of hot water. Owning a large home may necessitate installing more than one heater to meet its needs.
Delayed Hot Water Supply
Another downside to tankless heaters is the potential for delayed hot water supply. Since a tankless must heat water when you request it, there’s always an initial burst of cold to deal with. In some situations, you may even encounter a phenomenon known as a cold water sandwich. That happens if it hasn’t been long since you last used hot water. In that scenario, the leftover hot water in your pipes will be the first water coming from your fixtures. Then, the expected burst of cold water occurs before the water gets hot once again. To mitigate the problem, you can pair your tankless with a recirculation pump. It redirects leftover hot water back to your tankless to jump-start its production.
Your Local Water Heater Experts
With over 30 years of experience offering plumbing solutions to Fort Worth residents, Cattlemans Plumbing is your local water heater expert. We offer comprehensive residential and commercial plumbing services, including remodeling work. Our team of plumbers have extensive training and go the extra mile to satisfy every customer. We work hard to offer fair prices and excellent workmanship, using only the highest-quality materials. And as a Navien Service Specialist, we sell and service the finest tankless water heaters available. We’re also Better Business Bureau accredited with an A+ rating, reflecting our commitment to our customers. Check out our photo gallery for a look at our work quality. If you need a new water heater in Fort Worth, contact our team at Cattlemans Plumbing today!
