Replacing Your Water Heater: From Tank to No Tank

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Replacing Your Water Heater: From Tank to No Tank

tankless water heaterWhen it comes to something as important as your water heater, you want to make sure that you have the best quality for the best price. But sometimes, that doesn’t seem like an option. Up to 30% of your home’s energy consumption can be attributed to your old water heater alone. Luckily, a new option is quickly entering the market and making quite a storm.

What Are Tankless Water Heaters?
Tankless water heaters, as their name implies, do not come with a tank for your water. Instead, they operate with a burner system. Either gas or electric burners switch on when the hot tap is open and water from well or city pipes pass through it, heating it up before it gets to you. Because of this, the hot water never runs out.

How Are They Better?
How tankless water heaters differ from traditional water heaters are one thing. But the question then becomes, how are they better? The most noticeable thing to point out is that they are considerably smaller, making them ideal for small homes and leaving room for more storage. This also lowers the risk of flooding, as there is no tank to crack and burst that would spill all over the floor.

Beyond that, when you purchase a tankless water heater, it can save you money in the long run. Though it is true that installation is more expensive than traditional water heaters, it’s estimated that tankless water heaters can lower your utility bill and save you around $100 a year. They also last longer than traditional water heaters and save you half your money on any repairs you may need.

What’s the Catch?
There’s no doubt that tankless water heaters are superior to their traditional counterparts. However, as mentioned above, tankless water heaters do, indeed, cost more for their initial installment than traditional water heaters do. The heating element can fail or clog due to sediment build up, though it eliminates the risk of a tank failing. It can also be difficult to calculate the capacity of hot water you’ll need when you consider switching. Fortunately, an experienced plumbing service like Carlson Duluth Co. is available to handle all of your water heater repairs and maintenance.

Overall, if one can get passed the initial expenses to install a tankless water heater, it seems like a viable option to consider if you’ve reached the end of your rope with your old, faulty water heater. Check out Carlson Duluth Co. to find out more.