The Benefits of Installing a Tankless Water Heater

08/31/2015

Until fairly recently, there was only one kind of water heater used in homes across the country. That was the tank water heater, which is still quite popular. Tank water heaters keep a large supply of water constantly heated, day and night, just in case you have a need for it. While this is undoubtedly very convenient, it also wastes a lot of energy keeping water hot when you aren’t using it. Fortunately, a new option has arisen in the form of tankless water heaters. Let’s take a look at the unique benefits that tankless water heaters can provide.

What Is a Tankless Water Heater?

A tankless water heater is just what it sounds like: a water heater that doesn’t make use of a storage tank. Instead of a storage tank, a tankless water heater uses a heat exchanger, much like boiler systems that are used to heat homes. When there is demand for hot water, the tankless water heater turns on and runs water through the heat exchanger. A burner assembly or electrical heating element heats the water in the heat exchanger before it exits the water heater on the way to its destination. Then, once the demand for hot water has subsided, the water heater shuts off.

Unique Advantages

Tankless water heaters offer two distinct advantages over tank water heaters: space and energy efficiency. As discussed above, a tankless water heater does not stay on constantly in order to keep hot water at the ready. While this does mean that there is a short delay from the time you turn on a hot water fixture and the time hot water reaches you, it also means that the tankless water heater is far more energy-efficient than the tank counterpart. Since it does not need a tank to store water, a tankless water heater also takes up less space.

If you’d like to know more about tankless water heaters, call Rooter Man. We serve all of Troy, NY.