In this day and age, every appliance we own seems to be constantly updating. You can’t have a cell phone for more than a month, it seems, before the newer, shinier, “better” model comes in and tells you that you need to get a new one! So, when you think about it, it’s pretty crazy that a piece of equipment as important as your home’s water heater probably uses a technology that is over 100 years old. Even with all of the upgrades and modernization going on, many Americans have neglected to invest in a newer model of water heater — and they might be losing a great deal of money as a result.
See, unlike the relatively small tweaks between the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S, the difference between conventional water heating and the upgraded model, tankless water heating, is very, very ,major. Conventional water heating operates by storing water in a 40 to 80 gallon tank, heating this water to a pre-set temperature 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tankless water heating does not store water: instead, it heats the water on-demand in a series of coils. Which one is better? It may depend on your household and its occupants. A 3 Mountains Plumbing Expert will be able to tell you if a tankless upgrade is right for your specific scenario in a consultation.
However, we are able to tell you the general weaknesses of conventional water heating, which the more modern tankless model has dramatically improved upon. If you have a storage tank type water heater in your basement, you may have noticed the following issues:
- Limited Hot Water– After the water in your storage tank gets used up, that’s it. Which is why sometimes you’ll be in the shower and the water will become cold: that’s because the hot water has, quite literally, run out.
- Higher Energy Bills– Because your tankless heats your water 24/7, even when you aren’t using it, your utility bill winds up being significantly higher. Worse still, only about 60% of the energy in a standard tank-type goes into actually heating your water. They are not energy efficient machines, and the federal government is already passing legislature against them for the sake of the apartment.
- Waste of Space– Your storage tank water heater is probably in your basement or utility room, taking up space. What could you do with that extra square footage?
- Shorter Warranty– Tank-type water heaters really are only built to last about 6 to 10 years. The warranty options are generally targeted to that range, with 6 years being the standard warranty on the storage tank. Without maintenance, they generally last more like 4 to 7.
With tankless water heater, you get a perpetual stream of hot water, energy savings, a smaller unit, and a lifetime of up to 20 years. Look into it today by calling 3 Mountains Plumbing, and you could be saving and living in a healthier, happier home.
