In this day and age, homeowners look for greater convenience and quicker gratification than ever before. This can be seen as a negative, but hey, it’s hard to resist convenience and ease of use, and we say there is nothing wrong with wanting this for yourself and your home!
First-time homeowners and seasoned homeowners alike would do well to consider modernizing their homes with a new kind of water heater–a tankless system. Tank water heaters have been the conventional model found in homes for decades, but tankless systems have a number of benefits that are leading them to become a much more popular option.
When it comes to water heaters, the basic question is, “should I get another storage tank system or go tankless?” Read on as we compare the two and show you the benefits of upgrading to a tankless system, should you choose to.
Energy Savings
The very setup of a tankless system versus a tank water heater makes it more efficient. The reason for this is that you don’t have to worry about standby heat loss that can happen with a tank water heater.
Many families actually have a much bigger tank than they need. This means that you don’t go through all the hot water in the tank in a day, but the water continues to cool off so the heating elements have to come back on to heat it up.
Tankless systems work “on-demand” meaning that when you turn on a hot water tap or an appliance that uses hot water, then the heating elements turn on, and the water runs over them and then through your plumbing.
Tankless water heaters run on electricity, and the heat is possible thanks to electrical resistance, making them more efficient than electrical tank water heaters too.
Instant Gratification
When a storage-tank water heater runs out of water, as we mentioned above, you have to wait for it to fill up and reheat. Depending on how many gallons your water heater holds, this could take a while!
A tankless water heater, however, provides you with unlimited hot water.
Now, that said, we do have to note here that a tankless water heater can be overwhelmed. For instance, if you have two people taking a shower at the same time, and you’re running your dishwasher and washing machine at the same time, it can’t work as effectively as possible.
For this reason, homeowners often invest in two tankless systems or even a small tank system that is used for a single purpose, like for the washing machine.
Saves Space
Storage tank water heaters stand upright, and they can range from 4-6 feet in height. Once installed, they’re basically like a pillar taking up space in your property. Some configurations also include pipes extruding from them, which means you can’t store anything by them.
A tankless system, however, is affixed to the wall above the ground, meaning you don’t lose any square footage in your home.
To schedule Portland, OR water heater services, reach out to Clawson Heating & Air Conditioning today!