Tankless Water Heaters

July 02, 2010

Go Green with a Tankless Hot Water Heater

Do your dreams of owning a greener, more energy-efficient home come crashing down every time you open your utility bill? Do you want to help save the planet precious water? If you answered “yes” to either question, then it’s time you considered installing a tankless hot water heater in your home.

Water: A Precious Resource

Freshwater ecosystems are some of the most diverse, but they are also some of the most endangered. Dwindling water supplies add to the threat faced by these ecosystems; as water supplies are exhausted, species that make freshwater ecosystems their home must compete with humans for access to freshwater. One of the most damaging and disruptive threats to these ecosystems are the dams and canals that must be built to provide human habitations with freshwater. By installing a tankless hot water system you are helping to take some of the pressure off these fragile ecosystems.

The Benefits of a Tankless Hot Water Heater

After furnaces and air conditioners, water heaters are the third largest consumers of energy in homes. Tank water heaters present quite a few drawbacks to consumers who want to slash their electricity bills. These drawbacks are the following:

• Tank water heaters must operate 24 hours a day to maintain a set temperature range.
• Tank water heaters can supply hot water only for very short periods of time, which means that back-to-back showers, and even full, steamy baths, are usually out of the question.
• Tank water heaters have a short lifespan. Average life expectancy of a tank water heater runs from eight to ten years.

Tankless hot water heating systems, on the other hand, heat water directly and thus eliminate the need for a storage tank. This makes tankless hot water heaters more energy efficient, because they avoid the standby heat losses associated with conventional storage water heaters. Tankless hot water heaters only heat water when it’s needed. This reduces energy consumption by ten to 15 percent, which translates into considerable savings on your electricity bill.

How Does a Tankless Hot Water Heater Work?

How does a tankless water heater operate, you ask? Well, first the temperature is set on the remote controller. Then the hot water tap opens and water begins to flow. Following this, a turbine spins and sends a signal to the PC board through a flow sensor, which starts the combustion fan motor. The burner is then ignited by direct electronic ignition, and the unit fires when the flame rod senses a flame in the burner. When the hot water tap is turned off, the unit once again returns to standby mode.

The tankless hot water system is quick and efficient -- and it ensures that you will never have to endure frigid showers or icy baths again. And many models of tankless hot water heaters include the following features:

•  Multiple safety features
•  Digital keypads
•  Direct electronic ignition
•  Unbeatable warranties
•  Replaceable parts

You Can’t Go Wrong with a Tankless Water Heater

You can't go wrong with installing a tankless hot water heater in your home. For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, tankless water heater can be 24 to 34 percent more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. For homes that use even more water -- around 86 gallons per day -- tankless hot water heaters can be 8 to 14 percent more energy efficient. Greater savings can be achieved by installing tankless water heater at each hot water outlet. Doing this can net you savings of around 27 to 50 percent, depending on your water usage needs.

And tankless hot water systems can also be installed in a number of places in and outside the home, including:

•  A pool house or pool shower
•  A remote barbecue or outdoor sink
•  A remote hot tub or bathroom

A tankless hot water heater can even serve as a booster in such fixtures as solar powered water heating systems, sanitation fixtures, and dishwashers, eliminating the need for long pipe runs. And your tankless hot water heater system will serve you in good stead for years -- more than 20, to be exact. And it won’t take up as much space in your home as does a tank water heater. A tankless water heater fits easily in closets, attics, crawlspaces, outdoor locations, rooftops, and other confined areas.

Even if you install your tankless water heater in a closet or rooftop, you don’t need to worry about dangerous accidents, because a tankless water heater is far safer than a tank water heater. Tankless hot water heaters not only eliminate the risk of scalding, but they also remove the concern of catastrophic tank rupture that comes with tank water heaters.

Contact a Plumbing Professional

Only a professional plumber should install a new tankless hot water heater. An incorrectly installed tankless water heater not only endangers you and your household, it violates state and local ordinances and codes. So contact your local plumbing professional for all your tankless hot water heater needs. A plumbing professional can ensure that your tankless hot water heater meets city and state safety requirements, allowing you to rest easy knowing that your new tankless hot water heater is making your home a safer, greener place.