Power Vent Water Heater

Should You Get a Tankless Water Heater?

When you leave your house, you turn off the TV, the CD player and all the lights, right? So why wouldn't you do the same thing for your hot water heater?

The standard tanked heater constantly simmers water, wasting energy anytime hot water isn't being used-including during the day when you're not home, every night when everyone is asleep and for days while you're enjoying your vacation.

An eco-friendly alternative is a tankless water heater (also called "on-demand"). They heat water only when you need it and never runs out of it. As long as it has a continual flow of water, a tankless water heater will always heat it.

Tankless water heaters can distribute only so much heated water at one time, though. So, it's important to select the appropriate fixture to accommodate the number of hot water applications-shower, dishwasher, washing machine, etc.-you might use at any given time. Larger, high-performance and higher flow rate tankless water heaters are designed to heat the whole house's supply of water to meet this goal.

Two factors to consider before purchasing a tankless water heater include going electric or gas-powered, and finding the proper location.

Electric tankless water heaters eliminate the need for integrating gas supply lines since an electrical outlet supplies power. However, gas-powered fixtures are typically more energy efficient and can save more money on your utility bill.

Finding the right place for the heater-either indoors or outdoors and located somewhat within proximity to your hot-water applications-is also important. The further the water needs to travel, the longer it can take to heat the water.

If you have a large home and are concerned about unlimited hot water in any place within it, consider using multiple point-of-use fixtures so you have what you need, when you need it.

As a general (and imperative) rule, gas-powered tankless water heaters installed inside the home need proper ventilation. Depending on the average temperatures in your climate and the model you've purchased, it could be installed outdoors, circumventing this requirement.

And if you opt for electric, you won't need to upgrade your venting.

Tankless heaters are smaller and last around seven years longer than standard tanked heaters. They're also not susceptible to the rust and leaks a storage tank is, and will save you an average of 25 to 50 percent on your utilities bill.

While they're initially more expensive, the units pay for themselves-and then some-within a handful of months of use. Also, less energy is wasted-good news for you and Mother Earth.

A tankless water heater is an environmentally friendly fixture that will be put to use for everyday tasks, many times a day. Just think how easy it'll be to save water and save money.

Sean Murphy is a marketing copywriter for Build.com, one of the largest online home improvement companies. Build.com offers a huge range of home improvement products, such as plumbing, lighting, door hardware and ventilation, as well as home decor. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com