As a tank-style water heater reaches the end of its life, the efficiency of the heating system is greatly diminished. It has to work harder to keep up with demand, resulting in higher utility bills and excess wear and tear. When this happens, many homeowners choose to replace their aging water heater with a similar model that meets the demands of their household. But is that the best move?
Perhaps it’s time to consider another option – a tankless water heater expertly installed by Eagle Service Company. Read on to learn more.
What Is a Tankless Water Heater?
As the name suggests, a tankless water heater does not hold water in a tank. Instead, cold water flows into the unit and is heated only when a fixture or water using appliance calls for hot water. As such, a tankless heater does not produce the standby energy loss typical of a traditional storage or tank-style water heater.
Types of Tankless Water Heaters
There are several types of tankless water heaters that can be differentiated based on the way in which they heat water, the fuel that is used, and whether the unit is designed for whole-home or point-of-use heating.
Gas: Gas models burn natural gas or propane to heat the water as it flows through the system and are available in condensing and non-condensing options.
- Condensing tankless water heaters have a secondary heat exchanger that uses the heat from the exhaust to begin warming the water before it reaches the primary heat exchanger. This increases the efficiency of the unit. Additionally, it cools the exhaust gas, so a stainless -steel exhaust system is not necessary.
- Non-condensing models use a primary heat exchanger that rapidly heats the water as it flows through the heater, creating hot exhaust which must be vented through stainless-steel flue pipes.
Electric: Electric models don’t rely on a heat exchanger but rather heat the water rapidly as it flows directly through the electric heating element inside the system.
Point-of-Use: A smaller alternative to a whole-home tankless water heater, point-of use water heaters are installed in close proximity to a single faucet, tub/shower, or appliance to rapidly heat the water at the point of use.
Tankless Water Heater Benefits
A tankless water heater system offers an energy-efficient and convenient way to heat the water in your home. Here are just some of the benefits you can enjoy.
- Turn on any hot water faucet and get hot water almost immediately. No more waiting for your tank-style unit to heat the water stored in the tank.
- Instead of continuously using energy to heat and reheat water in the tank, a tankless unit only activates when hot water is called for. This results in substantial energy and cost savings.
- Their small footprint means you no longer need to dedicate previous space to hold a bulky tank-style water heater.
- A steady, virtually limitless supply of hot water means no more ice-cold showers.
- Tankless water heaters last for up to 20 years before needing replacement, whereas a tank-style unit has an average lifespan of about 12 years.
That’s a lot to think about, isn’t it? Don’t worry, we’ll explain all your options and help you choose the hot water system that makes the most sense for your home, family, and budget. Contact Eagle Service Company today for more information or a free new system quote.
