If you’re considering getting a new water heater, then you have probably heard about the many benefits of replacing an old storage tank water heater with a tankless model. Tankless water heaters have several excellent advantages that appeal to customers, including:
- Unlimited hot water
- Lower energy consumption
- Longer lifespans
- Small size
However, we want to stress that—as with HVAC systems—there is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” water heater for a house. Tankless water heaters are excellent systems, but they may not be the system for your household’s specific requirements.
So yes, there are potential drawbacks when it comes to tankless water heaters. We’ll look at a few below, but we recommend you call us to consult about your water heater installation choices. It may turn out that these drawbacks won’t matter much and the benefits outweigh them. You can rely on us for everything from new water installation to water heater repair in Clovis, CA and throughout the Central Valley.
Tankless water heaters can be overwhelmed with demand
Because tankless water heaters don’t have a stored supply of water to deplete, they don’t run out of hot water. They simply heat up more as needed. However, tankless water heaters can be overwhelmed when too much demand is placed on them from multiple taps. This won’t cause tankless water heaters to run out of hot water, but they will see a drop in efficiency. If your household often has more than one hot water tap on at a time, a tankless system may struggle to work efficiently.
Tankless water heaters are more expensive to purchase
This is a basic part of tankless systems: their more advanced technology and precision equipment makes them pricier initial installments compared to installing a storage tank water heater. A tankless system can save money with its performance and payback its higher installation cost, but the price tag may influence your decision to get one.
Tankless water heaters may require additional service work
Making the switch to a tankless system may require technicians to make other changes to the plumbing, venting, and natural gas lines. In some cases, a water softener may be necessary to allow for the tankless water heater to work well (it can become clogged rapidly from hard water minerals). These jobs will add to the cost of the installation. We’ll always make sure you know about any extra work that’s necessary so you can figure it into your decision.
Tankless water heaters have a delay
A storage tank water heater has its supply of water heated and ready to go when a tap comes on, so there’s usually only a short wait for the hot water to reach the tap. With tankless water heaters, the wait for the hot water can go longer, and that adds up to some water wasted.
As you can see, you have several factors to consider when it comes to putting in a new water heater. We will help you every step of the way so you end up with a water heater that provides the results you want combined with long-term savings.
Rely on Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning: Uncompromised Quality & Customer Service Since 1952.