The standard type of home water heater is known as a “storage” water heater. It keeps a supply of water inside a tank, where it uses gas or electricity to heat the water for use in the home. Many people think that this is the only kind of water heater available, but today you can have a tankless water heater installed in your home.
How does that work? Tankless systems run the water in the pipes through coils that pass over gas burners, heating the water as it is needed at a tap. Some tankless systems use electrical power installed at individual tanks, so the tankless system can be used only for specific taps instead of the whole house.
Brooks Plumbing installs both storage and tankless water heaters in Olympia, WA. Here are some of the benefits we’ve found people get from going with a tankless heater.
- No running out of hot water: Storage water heaters only have a limited supply of hot water available at any time; once you exhaust the supply in the tank, you have to wait for the heater to heat up more before you get hot water again. With a tankless system, you don’t have to worry about this because it heats up the water as you need it, so you won’t run out.
- Space-saving: A water tank takes up a large amount of space. A tankless system is relatively small, and some can even be installed hanging on walls.
- Energy efficiency: Storage water heaters must maintain a constant temperature in their tanks so the hot water is ready for use. Since tankless systems only use heat when someone requires water, they consume far less energy than storage tanks—sometimes up to 20% less.
- Longevity: On average, a tankless system lasts 5 to 10 years longer than a storage system.
- No flooding worries: You no longer have to be concerned that a ruptured water tank will flood part of your house.
There are some drawbacks, however, such as high initial installation cost and a longer lag time waiting for the water to heat up. If more than one tap is operating at once, a tankless system can lose its efficiency. Ask an expert in water heaters if your household will benefit from going tankless.
At Brooks Plumbing, we take our motto seriously: “Quality in Everything We Do.” We’ve striven to uphold that promise since 1994, and when you contact us to install a tankless water heater in Olympia, WA, we will give you the quality service that you deserve.
