Tankless Water Heaters
Continuing our discussion of water heaters, in this blog we look at tankless water heaters.
Most water heaters in North America are tank water heaters. They are a familiar cylinder shape, and keep gallons of water (typically 20 to 100 gallons) continuously hot and ready for use. Natural gas heaters are most popular in the United States since they are cheapest to use, but tank water heaters also use electricity, propane, heating oil, solar, or other energy sources.
A newer technology that is quickly gaining popularity is the tankless water heater. Also known as instantaneous, inline, on-demand, or instant-on water heaters, tankless water heaters instantly heat water as it flows through the device, and do not keep any water internally except for what is in the heat exchanger coil.
Tankless heaters can be installed throughout a house at more than one point of use, far from the central water heater; larger models can provide all the hot water for an entire house. One advantage of tankless water heaters is a continuous flow of hot water. Another is energy savings, as compared to a limited flow of continuously heating hot water from conventional tank water heaters.
Should you convert from a tank water heater to a tankless model? It’s best to check with a licensed, experienced plumber to see if it’s practical, cost-efficient, or in the case of some older houses, even possible. Call AAA Plumbing and Heating today to find out more.
Posted on November 26, 2009, in Hot water heater and tagged AAA Plumbing and Heating, tankless, water heater. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Also worth noting is that with a tankless water heater, water is heated as it passes through the unit so you will never have to use hot water that has been stored in an old rusty tank. As the years pass by, traditional tank-type water heaters start to rust and build-up scale inside the tank, which is where your hot water is being stored for use.
Pingback: Tweets that mention Tankless Water Heaters « AAA Plumbing and Heating's Blog -- Topsy.com