All About On-Demand Water Heaters
Technology has come a long way in advancing quality of life and making everyday tasks easier. Thankfully, these advances have made their way into homes, none more welcome than the arrival of water heaters that make cleaning easier and improve comfort when bathing and showering.
However, there is another option besides the standard storage water heater people picture when they think of water heaters, called the tankless water heater. This post will discuss tankless water heaters, including how they work and their benefits.
Understanding Tankless Water Heaters
Unlike its traditional counterpart, which utilizes a large storage tank that typically holds over 40 gallons of water to store and heat for the home, a tankless water heating system does not require a large storage tank to heat and distribute water effectively. This lack of a storage tank cuts its size down to around a mere 28-inch height, 18-inch width, and 10-inch depth on average, a significant difference from the massive 60-inch height and 20-inch diameter of a traditional storage water heater.
This lack of a large hot water tank also means tankless water heaters do not have to keep large volumes of water at a constant temperature even when it isn’t used like a storage tank water heater. Instead, tankless systems heat water on demand, creating a steady flow of hot water that doesn’t run out when the water from the tank empties like a storage water heater.
How These Instant Hot Water Heaters Work
Like traditional storage water heaters, tankless water heaters can be powered by either gas or electricity. Instead of keeping a large tank of water hot, tankless water heaters heat the cold water almost immediately after it enters the unit, allowing it to heat water only when hot water is needed, making it extremely energy efficient.
When hot water is needed, the water flows through a heat exchanger inside the tankless water heating unit, where a natural gas burner or an electric element heats up the water, depending on whether the tankless water heater relies on electricity or gas for its fuel source.
Benefits of Installing a Tankless Water Heater
Opting for a tankless water heater has many benefits and advantages, including:
- Space saving: A smaller, more compact tankless water heater is an excellent option for people who live in small houses or any home with limited space to accommodate a larger, more cumbersome storage water heater.
- Unlimited hot water: Unlike storage water heaters that can run out of hot water due to the hot water tank’s limited capacity, tankless water heaters can provide limitless hot water and prevent cold showers.
- Efficiency and savings: Because tankless water heaters only turn on when in use, they use less energy and help homeowners save on their utility bills, especially when compared to a storage-tank water heater which needs to turn on every so often to keep all the water in the tank at a specific temperature.
About Jim Wagner Plumbing, Inc.
Jim Wagner Plumbing, Inc. is a third-generation plumber with decades of experience serving Lombard and the surrounding areas. They offer upfront pricing, on-time service, and fast turnaround times. Call them today for tankless water heater services in Lombard, IL.
