To Tank or Not to Tank
Tankless water heaters have been a fixture in Europe for years. They’ve proven themselves as a viable alternative to the large tank water heaters that are the primary source of hot water in the US market. Now, thanks to the efforts of energy-efficient consumers, tankless heaters have carved out a growing niche in the States. We’ll go over the various differences here and let you decide for yourself.
When considering whether you want to go for a conventional or tankless water heater, there are three things that should be taken into account: Costs, hot water usage, and space.
Costs can be a misnomer in this subject, but it still stands to reason it’s going to play a factor. If you are of the belief that you are just going to install a tankless water heater and start reaping the rewards are higher efficiency, you’re in for a surprise. Tankless water heaters cost double the price of conventional, and having one installed in an existing home many times requires an expensive retrofit, depending on your area and the amount of work needed, this could range from roughly $2000-3,000. If you are building a new home and have no existing framework for a conventional water heater, then the price is equal to the amount of setting any regular water heater.
When you break the costs down, it would take almost twenty years of lower monthly energy bills to pay for the installation of a tankless water heater. Manufacturers also recommend that you have a professional plumber who could out once a year to service your unit, the lack of doing so could cause significant mineral build-up and result in loss of efficiency.
Hot water usage. If you live in a house with three or more teenagers, then you’ve felt the pain of taking a lukewarm or just plain cold shower. Conventional tanked water heaters only hold a finite amount of hot water at any time, once that water is gone, it takes a little bit of time to replace it. With Tankless water heaters, the water is heated as it moves through the pipes giving you an almost endless supply of hot water. The parents and younger children in a family may find this small factor worth all the money in the bank.
Space, if you got it no problem. If you live in a small house and a tanked water heater is taking up valuable real estate, then a tankless water heater could be your friend. The size of a small suitcase takes up a great deal less space compared to its mammoth counterpart.
We’ve covered the three important differences in choosing conventional or tanked, but there is still a slight urban myth that needs to be dispelled before we finish. There is a belief that the installation of a tankless water heater will negate the wait time that exists when you first turn on the faucet, this is not true. There is still cold water in the pipes between the water heater and the faucet that needs to be displaced before the fresh hot water starts to come out. Now you can go out a make a more informed decision when looking at water heaters.
Looking into different water heaters for your West Covina property? Call Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer today at (626) 962-0885 for a water heater installation!