Tankless Water Heater
Find Out How It Works and the Advantages of Buying One.
A tankless water heater is the perfect choice for anyone who is looking to buy an energy efficient heater. Tankless heaters are considered much better than the regular storage kind by many for various reasons. They are very commonly used in Europe, Japan, and the United States.
A tankless water heater, as the name clearly suggests , directly heats water without using a storage tank. This simple difference makes tankless heaters a better choice than the regular variety. This prevents standby heat loss which is very common with storage type heaters and saves a lot of energy. This is why these water heaters are termed energy efficient heaters.
Storage tank type water heaters , as you know, have a storage unit which keeps the water hot. The problem with this process is that the water always remains hot - even when you do not need it. In other words, whether you use it or not, the water inside the heater will always remain at the constant elevated temperature.
Needless to say, this guzzles a lot of energy and increases your annual heating costs considerably. This is not ideal for two important reasons. One - At a time when more than half of the world is credit crunched, you cannot afford to waste your money on huge bills. Two - At a time when everyone is concerned about the threats of climate change and global warming, wasting energy is an unpardonable crime.
With a tankless water heater, you can save a considerable amount of energy. It heats water only when you need it, thereby preventing standby energy losses. For this reason, tankless heaters are also called instantaneous water heaters or demand water heaters.
When it comes to tankless heaters, you have two choices - gas heaters and electric heaters. In gas heaters, a gas burner is used to heat the water. In electric heaters, an electric element is used to heat the water.
One of the major advantages of using these heaters is that they provide a steady stream of hot water. This is not the case with storage type heaters, as you have to wait until the tank is filled with hot water. It has been calculated that by switching to a tankless water heater, you can reduce your annual water heating costs by nearly 20%.
You should choose a water heater based on your needs. If you think you need hot water for multiple, simultaneous uses, you should go for a whole house water heater. If not, you can go for a small tankless water heater. If you want to get a lot out of a tankless heater, you should install it and maintain it the right way. So, make sure you seek the services of an experienced plumbing and heating contractor.
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