Hot water is an absolute necessity of life, and for that, you need a good quality hot water heater. That’s especially true in the winter when the weather gets cold and hot water is needed more than ever.
Most of us are accustomed to traditional tank water heaters, which use the tall cylinders filled with water for the plumbing of our homes. But they’re not the only kind of water heater out there, and depending on your needs, an alternative may be a better idea. Tankless water heaters cost more to install, but can make a big difference in a number of ways for homes that are suited to it.
How Does It Work?
As the name implies, tankless hot water heaters don’t use a tank. Instead, they heat the water instantly via heated coils and similar methods: warming the water as it moves through the pipe. The unit itself is much smaller than most tank hot water heaters, and can easily fit in spots where a regular water heater might not. That makes it ideal for smaller homes without many family members, or vacation homes which might require hot water suddenly after many months of non-use.
What Are the Benefits?
As we said above, tankless water heaters often cost more to install. They involve components such as venting pipes and natural gas lines (propane fed in the case of homes in the country) that need to be set up carefully by a professional. They also tend to struggle more when placed under heavy use, which is why they work best in homes without many people. In return for which, however, they provide a number of notable benefits, including the following:
- They never run out. Tankless heaters heat the water “on demand,” as it were: heating only as the water moves through the pipes. That means you’ll never run out of hot water the way you sometimes do with a tank water heater.
- They use less energy. Tankless water heaters don’t need as much energy to do their jobs as tank models do, which can translate to significant savings over time.
- No danger of flooding. A ruptured water tank can be a disaster, and it’s much worse if that rupture takes place in a vacation home or somewhere that doesn’t see much use for the year. Tankless water heaters eliminate that problem because there is no tank to rupture.
- Ease of location. You can usually fit a tankless water heater under a sink or in a similar location. This eliminates the space needs that a tank model brings with it, which can make a big difference in a cabin or similarly small home.
- They last longer. Tankless water heaters tend to be under less strain than tank models, and will last 5-10 years longer than tank models in many cases.
If a tankless water heater sounds like a good fit for your Boston, MA area home, or you already have a tankless water heater and it needs a little help, call the friendly pros at Cooling Unlimited, Inc. to get the problem fixed!
