A Tankless Water Heater Offers Hot Water On Demand
Your water heater is one of those appliances you don’t really think about until it stops working. However, even when it’s properly doing its job, it can be the source of energy waste that raises the cost of your electric or gas bill. Today, many homeowners are investigating tankless water heaters as a valuable alternative to the traditional water heater.
A tankless water heater, rather than keeping dozens of gallons of water hot continually, heats water as it’s needed with the help of a heat exchanger, a device that heats incoming cold water. Since it doesn’t have to heat a large amount of water, a tankless water heater is usually just the size of a suitcase. Piping directs the water from the heater to your bathroom, kitchen or laundry room.
Tankless Water Heaters vs. Traditional Water Heaters
A tankless water heater offers a number of advantages over the large water heater you usually find in a home’s basement. The energy savings is the primary benefit, since latent heat loss from a traditional tank water heater can noticeably increase your monthly electric or gas bills. If you’re committed to living as environmentally consciously as possible, a tankless water heater is the best solution for you. Heating water only when you need it is a much better green alternative than taking cold showers or turning down the thermostat on a traditional water heater.
The life span of a tankless water heater is almost twice that of a traditional water heater, at 20 years compared to 10 to 12 years for the traditional water heater. You won’t discover a flood in your basement or utility room as you would when a traditional water heater ruptures, since a tankless hot water heater simply heats the water as it passes through rather than storing it. You may also be eligible for a tax rebate from the federal government when you install a tankless unit.
Since a tankless water heater works only when you need hot water, it can sometimes fail to deliver the amount of hot water you need if you take long showers, for example. You might decide in these cases to install one tankless water heater in your laundry area and another in your bathroom to handle the hot water demands of your family. The small and compact tankless models can be installed in a cabinet or closet close to the area where you need reliable hot water.
There are some drawbacks you’ll need to consider before buying a tankless water heater. The cost of a typical tankless unit is about twice that of a traditional water heater, and gas models are more expensive than electric models. You’ll also need to have piping installed in your home to direct the hot water to the areas where it’s needed, even if the tankless water heater is placed in the same room. This is not a do-it-yourself job. The expertise required to place the piping requires the services of an experienced plumber. Also, if you live in an area that has hard water, you must install a water softener. Otherwise, mineral deposits can quickly damage the mechanical components of the tankless water heater.
Tankless Water Heaters in Salinas | Monterey, California
If you’ve investigated all your options and decided that a tankless water heater is right for your family, get in touch with Alvarez Plumbing in Salinas. Our company has 30 years of plumbing experience and can work with you to determine the number of tankless water heaters you need for your family and the best locations for them. We have the experience necessary to repair problems with existing tankless water systems. Whether you’re ready to install a tankless water heater or need service on your current system, Alvarez Plumbing in Salinas offers plumbing services 365 days a year.