Should You Invest In Tankless Water Heaters? | Atlanta, GA
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Water heaters are one of the most used household fixtures in most homes. Depending on the size of your household, the heater may have to go through several heat cycles a day to keep up with the demand for hot water from showers, washing dishes, and doing the laundry. Storage-based water heaters are one of the most commonly used water heaters in Atlanta, GA, and chances are that your heater is storage-based. We’ll go over tankless water heaters in this blog.
This type of heater can store 20-80 gallons of hot water. When you turn on a shower, faucet, or washing machine for hot water, the system pulls hot water from the tank, mixes it with cold water to achieve the right temperature, then takes it where needed. In larger homes where hot water is required in several locations, large tanks will ensure each fixture has constant access to hot water.
What Are Tankless Water Heaters?
As the name suggests, this is a water heating unit that doesn’t use a tank to heat and store hot water. Unlike tank heaters, tankless water heaters generate hot water instantly when needed, not all the time. So while a tank heater would require heat 24/7 to keep the water inside it hot, the tankless alternative only provides hot water when needed and then remains dormant the rest of the time. As such, a tankless heater can save you up to 50% on your energy costs, based on how much hot water your household uses.
If you want to be even more energy-efficient, you can install several tankless water heaters at various points in the house like the shower, washing machine, and dishwasher. While a tank heater can easily run out of hot water, especially if more than one outlet is being used simultaneously, a tankless water heater will heat water as it comes from the source, ensuring a steady supply of hot water. You will never have to worry about running out of hot water as your tankless heating system is installed correctly and your home has electricity.
How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?
How exactly does a tankless water heater work without a storage tank to heat and store water for the home? Traditional tank heaters work by holding a certain amount of water and using either fuel or electricity to keep it hot all the time. This ensures your household has always had a supply of hot water to draw from but wastes a significant amount of energy.
On the other hand, tankless heating systems use gas or electric burners to heat cold water as it passes through the heating unit.
Once a hot water tap is turned on, cold water flows through the heating unit, where it is heated by either gas or electric heating coils and then distributed to the fixtures being used. On average, a tankless water heater can generate around 2-5 gallons of steaming hot water per minute.
Benefits of Tankless Water Heaters
Here’s why should Atlanta GA homeowners invest in tankless water heating systems:
1. Instant Hot Water
A tankless system will provide you with an essentially unending stream of hot water once you turn on a faucet or shower. Cold water flows through the unit and is instantly heard by gas or electric heating coils. With a tank system, you would probably have to wait for the tank to reheat enough water, especially if you have a multiple-member household with plenty of hot water demand.
2. Limitless Supply of Hot Water
You’ll never have to worry about running out of hot water in the middle of a shower when you install a tankless water heater. As long as the water supply is fine and your home has electricity, the tankless water heating system will generate 2-5 gallons of water in perpetuity. You can make the system more efficient by installing several heaters for different applications.
For instance, your shower, washing machine, and dishwasher could each have a dedicated tankless heater. This way, each system will only have to generate hot water for just one fixture rather than distributing it to several fixtures, which can be stressful and energy-intensive.
3. Energy Efficiency
Although traditional tank heaters ensure you have access to hot water at any time, they waste a ton of energy. Tank systems use significant amounts of fuel and electricity to keep their water supply hot, even when hot water isn’t needed. Tankless water heaters avoid this wastage by only heating water on demand, limiting energy use to when it’s necessary, and reducing the stress on your home’s electric system.
4. Reduced Energy Bills
Increased energy efficiency will have a positive effect on your heating expenses. A tank heater uses plenty of energy over the day to keep its supply of water hot, and this high energy usage will be reflected in your energy bills. On the other hand, Tankless systems are highly energy-efficient, resulting in reduced heating costs at the end of the month.
5. No Stale Water
The gallons of water in your tank heater can get stale after sitting for a while. If the interior of the water tank has rust, the water will be discolored. Since a tankless water heater generates hot water on demand, it will always produce clean water.
What’s So Bad About Tank Water Heaters?
Although tank water heaters provide a lot of utility, especially in larger homes with more hot water demand, their one drawback is that they aren’t energy efficient. Even when it isn’t in use, your tank heater will be consuming energy to keep the water within it hot. While this may be convenient since you’ll always have hot water on hand, it consumes a ton of energy. Compared to other heating solutions, including tankless water heaters, tank heaters are the least energy efficient. If you have a large household, you are likely spending quite a bit per month to keep your tank heater running.
Tank heaters are also subject to a variety of problems that make them even less efficient. This includes water leaks through fractures or tears in the tank or loosely connected inlet pipes, low water pressure, long reheating cycles, and system failures that prevent the system from producing enough hot water. On the other hand, tankless water heaters are a much more energy-efficient alternative compared to tank heaters.
Tankless Water Heater in Atlanta GA
Installing a tankless water heater in your home today will save you money on your heating bills and ensure you have an unending supply of fresh, hot water. If you are considering upgrading to a tankless heating system in Atlanta, GA, contact Peach Plumbing & Drain. We will inspect your heating system and help you determine whether replacing it with a tankless water heater would be a feasible idea. Contact us today for more information about our services and schedule an appointment.