On Demand water heaters, sometimes known as tankless water heaters, are becoming very popular for residential homes. A tankless heater does not heat a large amount of water and keep it hot, instead it very quickly heats water as it is needed. Most tankless water heaters are high-efficiency and direct vented. Many different tankless heater types exist on the market, each with its own unique features.
Benefits of Tankless Hot Water Heaters
On Demand water heaters are usually highly efficient, and practical for residential home use. Some of the main benefits to installing a tankless water heater are:
- Small Size. The tankless heater takes up a much smaller footprint than a heater with a tank, as it gets mounted on the wall rather than set on the floor. This frees up precious floor space.
- Unlimited Hot Water. With a tankless water heater, you should be able to run hot water for as long as you want without running out.
- Lower Energy Consumption. Because there is no tank of water needing to continually be heated, tankless heaters do not experience the same energy waste as heaters with a tank.
- Longer Lasting. On Demand water heaters tend to last longer than those with a tank. While tank heaters usually come with 6, 9, or 12-year warranties, tankless heaters often come with 12-15 year warranties.
While some downfalls do exist for tankless heaters – such as higher initial purchase cost, and greater difficulty installing, the pros of on demand hot water heaters greatly outweigh the cons.
If your hot water heater is due to be replaced, it may be worthwhile to consider replacing it with a tankless heater. If the increased initial cost of purchase and installation is doable for you, the benefits of the tankless system make it an entirely worthwhile purchase.
