Are you considering installing a tankless hot water heater in your home or building? Here are a few reasons and examples of when tankless water heaters are a great solution for your hot water needs.
A traditional hot water heating system utilizes either a gas or electric powered tank. That tank is filled with water, heats the water and discharges the hot water into your home or building’s water line. Tankless water heaters work by heating water at the point of use.
Depending on the size of the home or building, the size of the tank will vary to meet the demand of the residents or users of that water. The size is determined by a calculation that takes into account not only people, but number of appliances and frequency of usages (showers, dishwasher, clothes washer, hand washing, etc). As a result these tanks can be pretty big and basically fill up a mechanical room or basement.
Space Saving
Tankless water heaters vary in size and can be large enough to heat an entire home, and they can be small enough to fit under a sink. If you’re looking for a way to have a hot water heating without the size and floor space needed to install a tank, a tankless water heater might be the solution.
Tankless water heaters may be a good solution for:
- A smaller home, trailer, apartment, where hot water demand is generally low due to fewer people living in the space.
- If you have added onto your home and created an excessive demand your home’s hot water heater, tankless may be a good fit.
- Your work shed, shop, or exterior building can have hot water in your sink. This might is also a great solution for people who have livestock in a stable or paddock and could benefit from a hot water supply.
- Extra living space in a basement or garage. You can convert your basement or garage into an apartment, office, or extra living space with a hot water source without having to upgrade the hot water heater for the main house.
- Under a sink in a public bathroom, where space and piping is limited
Cost Saving
- Water is heated on demand, there’s no unused hot water sitting in a tank. This saves on electricity and water costs.
- Tankless water heater are economically priced and affordable for most home owners.
- Tankless water heaters have a long life expectancy. As a result the cost of repair and replacement is reduced compared to tank water heaters.
Gas vs. Electric Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Electric tankless water heaters are more versatile than gas tankless hot water heaters. This assumes the device has a suitable source for electricity. Most trailers only have 100 amps of electric power which is not enough to support an electric tankless hot water heater. These tanks would need a 200 amp service to allow for enough breaker space. Provided there is enough of a power supply, electric tankless water heaters are very useful.
Gas tankless water heaters require two important items: a gas supply and plenty of space. Gas tankless water heaters may be a better application for a commercial or industrial building. They need roughly 10,000 square feet of space for combustion and clearance in the installation process. In cases where they will be placed in a smaller space, an air ventilation system would need to be installed.
Tankless water heaters are not necessarily the best fit for every application. We can help evaluate the best and most cost-effective, energy efficient strategy. We will take all considerations into account, including usage, people, appliances, space, and budget.
At Coldwright Plumbing and Heating, we are experts in hot water heating maintenance, repair, maintenance, replacement and installation. If you need a new one, we have a variety of hot water heaters available, including electric water heaters, gas water heaters, and tankless water heaters. We’ll help you find the best fit for your budget, space, and hot water heating demands. Call us today to learn more!
We serve the towns of Joppa, Abingdon, Fallston, Belcamp, Forest Hill, Bel Air, Aberdeen, Baldwin, Hunt Valley, Kingsville, White Marsh, Towson, Fulton, Middle River, Perry Hall and more! Call us or request a quote online!
