Pros and Cons of Tankless Water Heaters

Heating water can account for up to 30 percent of a home’s energy use, and switching to a more energy efficient tankless water heater is one way to lower your home’s energy use. However, tankless water heaters are expensive and work differently than the normal water heaters you are used to.

Tankless water heaters work by instantly heating water as it flows through pipes in the device. With a traditional tank water heater, a large volume of water is stored and slowly heated. In addition to energy savings, a tankless water heater can produce an unlimited supply of hot water.

Benefits of a tankless water heater:

- Long-term savings: according to Consumer Reports, tankless heaters are on average 22 percent more efficient, which means average savings of around $80 per year.

- Unlimited hot water

- Require less space

- Less risk of water damage from tank leaks or failures

Disadvantages of a tankless water heater:

- Average purchase and installation cost is around $1,200 which means it could take over 20 years to recoup this cost from its energy savings

- More susceptible to mineral buildup and require more frequent maintenance

- Tankless heaters require a minimum water pressure and volume to be flowing to trigger activation

- It takes time for the water to begin heating up

While there are clear advantages and disadvantages to getting a tankless water heater, we hope we have provided you with information to help you make a more informed decision for your home.