When you’re evaluating a tankless water heater, it is really important that you’re well aware of both the pros and the cons in order to make an informed buying decision.
In this post, I would be walking you through various aspects of a tankless water heater so that you can make an unbiased decision of bringing it home or NOT.
However, I can affirm that the pros outcast the cons by a huge margin, and because of this reason, the tankless water heaters have seen a surge in their demands in the United States and the rest part of the world.
Tankless water heaters are mainly of two types, that is, electric tankless, and gaseous tankless heater.
The gas tankless are further segregated into propane tankless and natural gas tankless.
Again, both come with their own sets of pros and cons which we’ll discuss in some other post.
The tankless water heater usually uses a mechanism that heats the water instantly.
Well, most of you would be inquisitive to know how it works, right?
So, as soon as you open a shower, a faucet, or any other fixture, the water starts flowing inside the pipe which is heated instantly with the help of an electric element or a gas burner to the output set temperature before it reaches you.
Moreover, depending upon your need and budget, you can opt for a whole house tankless heater or under-sink heaters.
As of now, our discussion would revolve only around the pros and cons of a tankless water heater.
Enough of Jagran, right?
So, without any further ado, let’s have a quick look at the pros and the cons of a tankless water heater.
Pros
To be honest, all the pros that we’re gonna discuss right away will definitely help you in making a good decision.
Endless Hot Water Supply
Yes, you heard it, RIGHT!
Tankless hot water heaters are known to provide an endless supply of hot water with ease.
Since the water is heated only when it is required, so theoretically the source of water is the source of supply water/incoming underground water which means you don’t have to worry about it getting finished.
However, their is a string attached to endless supply of hot water.
The sizing of the tankless heater needs to be done correctly in order to NOT ONLY get an endless supply of hot water but also reap maximum benefits out of it.
No Standby Heat Loss
If you’ve been using a tank-styled water heater then you would’ve definitely, found that a certain amount of energy gets wasted in the form of heat “loss” to the environment.
Over a period of time, these small heat losses can sum up and make a big dent in your pocket.
The tankless water heater has solved the problem of standby heat loss.
Since they heat the water instantly and no hot water is stored in the tank, so there isn’t a negligible change of standby heat loss.
Small, Compact, Sleek Designed
The tankless heaters are small, compact, and sleek designed which makes it possible for them to be installed in small and tiny spaces.
In fact, unlike conventional water heaters, tankless counterparts can be installed in non-conventional spaces such as an attic, closet, etc making it more flexible.
Tankless models offer by premium brands including Rinnai, Rheem, Nortiz can be hanged over the wall making it possible for you to use the floor space for some other important things.
Life Span
Definitely, lifespan is one such feature of a tankless water heater that forces me to recommend it to my clientele.
As compared to a conventional water heater which lasts for 7 to 10 years, a tankless counterpart lasts for almost 20 years which is definitely something to boast about, isn’t it?
So, once you’ve invested in a premium quality tankless heater, you can relax for the next two decades.
A longer lifespan helps you to recover high upfront costs making the tankless units “value for money” product in the long-run.
Warranty
Tankless water heaters come with a longer duration warranty as compared to most of the conventional and tank-styled heaters.
The longer duration of the warranty clearly depicts the trust and the confidence that the manufacturer has in its offering.
In fact, you would be astonished to know that EcoSmart ECO 27 offers you a lifetime limited warranty.
What more can you expect, huh?
Also, the other premium tankless heater brands also offer a good duration of the warranty.
High Efficiency
As we discussed earlier, standby heat loss is almost negligible which makes the tankless units highly energy efficient.
Since the water is heated only when you need to it so heat loss to the external source is either zero or minimal.
A very small fraction of heat can be lost when the hot water is traveling through the pipes to the fixture.
According to the Department of Energy, on-demand heaters can be between 8 percent and 50 percent more efficient.
Environment Friendly
It goes without saying that tankless heaters are more efficient than storage setups.
While traditional storage tank options have efficiencies between 40 percent and 60 percent, efficiencies of tankless heaters can range between 80 percent and 99 percent.
What the aforementioned statement actually means is, a tankless unit is capable of converting one unit of fuel to almost one whole unit of heat.
And, as we all know, lowering your fuel usage help reduce your environmental footprint, making tankless water heaters a more environmentally-friendly heating option.
Low Maintenance Cost
As compared to the traditional water heaters, the tankless ones come with a low-maintenance cost.
Especially, the electric tankless heaters have very low maintenance cost.
However, you might have two flush them once or twice every year in case, the supply of water in your region is hard.
I prefer using vinegar to remove the sediment deposits due to the hard water in the water heater.
But, before you try this cheap option, I would recommend you to read this article to be well aware of when to use vinegar and when NOT TO.
Equipped With Advanced And Innovative Technology
For me, the enticing reason for buying a tankless water heater is the advanced technology that it is equipped with.
The advance and innovative technology bring loads and loads of convenience and usability.
In fact, the premium products are equipped with technology such as recirculation that decreases the wait time significantly.
Cons
Like any other product, a tankless water heater also comes with its own sets of cons.
However, the pros outcast the cons by a huge margin.
After going through the cons, I hope you’ll agree with what I’ve affirmed.
Limited Flow Rate
As per my knowledge and experience, I can affirm that the biggest drawback or challenge that a tankless unit faces is a limited flow rate.
The problem arises especially when your daily hot water consumption exceeds 40 gallons.
In order, to deal with such scenarios, you need to either install a few point-of-use systems or better be with a storage tank heater itself.
Expensive
Well, if you’re on a shoestring budget then I’ll not recommend you to go for a premium tankless water heater model.
Of course, electric tankless is cheaper as compared to gas tankless, and if you can afford it, then nothing better than that.
The higher upfront cost makes it lesser access to the “affordable” category segment.
Some Models May Require Significant Setup Work
Unfortunately, it’s true that certain tankless models require you to invest a tangible amount of money into either upgrading or expanding your water pipes, gas pipes, gas units, and electrical wiring in your home to support a tankless system.
And, the worst part is, you need to hire a certified technician for the installation of certain tankless models in order to reap the benefits of the warranty.
Failing to do so, might lead to void of the warranty.
Wrapping Up the Pros and Cons of a Tankless Hot Water Heater
First and foremost, I would like to thank you for being with us till the end.
Secondly, I would like to bring to your notice that I along with my core team have put loads and loads of effort into coming up with this idiosyncratic superlative explanation.
And, in case, you liked our effort and want to appreciate us, then feel free to share this piece of information with the ones who are in need of it.
After all, sharing is caring, isn’t it?
To conclude, the pros outcasts the cons of a tankless water heater by a huge margin making it suitable for the long-term investment despite having a huge upfront cost.
With many unique qualities, the demand for tankless water heaters is bound to surge during the coming years.
So, this is the best time to invest in your favorite tankless water heater that not only syncs well with your hot water requirements but also falls well within your budget.
That’s all, as of now.
[Also Read]
