You may have heard that more and more people are switching to tankless water heaters and are considering installing one in your own home, but how do you know if it’s right for you? Here are some factors to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to install a tankless water heater.
How Many People Live in Your Home?
If you have a large family, a tankless water heater makes a lot of sense, especially if multiple people are needing to take showers around the same time. Do you typically find your home running out of hot water due to the amount of people showering in the mornings? When you upgrade to a tankless, you will never run out of hot water, even if several people take showers in a row.
Do You Have a Large Bathtub?
The size of your bathtub(s) is a good indicator of whether you should opt for a tankless water heater or not. For homes that have a larger bathtub, like a soaker, jacuzzi, jetted, or free-standing tub, it is really helpful to have the convenience of a tankless water heater because you can fill the tub, and still have all of the hot water you need for other hot water fixtures as well as the dishwasher, washing machine, etc.
That being said, if you have an extremely large bathtub, the capacity for a typical tankless water heater may be too much. Usually a tankless water heater can produce about 5-6 gallons per minute. If your bathtub requires more than this, you should opt for a larger gas or electric water heater, or you can opt for 2 Navien tankless water heaters together to increase your home’s hot-water capacity.
How Much Space Do You Have?
If you have limited space in your mechanical closet, a tankless water heater can free up floor space as it is wall-mounted and is physically much smaller than a traditional hot water tank. Tankless water heaters are a great choice for those who live in smaller homes and want to save as much space as possible.
Are Your Gas Bills High?
If you have a lot of hot water usage, a standard hot water tank is going to be noticeably more expensive to heat than a tankless water heater. This is because a tankless unit only heats the water on demand, meaning that the burners only turn on when someone in the home turns on a hot-water tap or appliance. A conventional water heater is typically around 60-65% efficient; whereas today’s tankless water heaters are over 95% efficient, meaning that much more natural gas is fully combusted into creating heat, and much less is wasted. Because of the increased efficiency, tankless water heaters give you lower gas bills.
Are You Planning to Sell Your Home?
When choosing whether or not to install a tankless water heater, think about whether you are planning to sell your home within the next few years. Today’s buyers are looking for homes that have been well maintained, have affordable utility bills, and have all of the modern conveniences. Installing green appliances that use much less energy is very appealing and can really update an older home in particular. If you are hoping to sell your home, installing a tankless water heater will increase value.
Generally speaking, tankless water heaters are very low maintenance. Typically, they just need to be descaled every 2 or 3 years and require occasional repairs as needed. Depending on the amount of usage in your home, you may find it beneficial to do a basic service appointment once a year. Our technicians are happy to answer any questions you may have about tankless water heater maintenance.
If you want to upgrade to a tankless water heater in your home, get in touch with the team at John Sadler Plumbing & Heating today. We have extensive experience installing tankless water heaters in homes just like yours and are always committed to quality workmanship and an outstanding customer experience.
