I’m like most everyone else here in good ‘old Waxahachie, Tx….USA. I have that gigantic tank variety water heater in a closet out in my garage. It’s behind that scary door that I never open…I dont really ever ‘think’ about my water heater…unless it’s not heating my water, that is! I am also that person who starts the shower in the morning (or afternoon, lol) and lets it run for 5 or 10 (or 20) minutes while I run around, to let the water get good and hot. By the time I’m done, no one else can take a shower for at least 30 minutes because the hot water is pretty much gone. So the idea of having instant hot water that never ends is pretty sweet. I could run the dishwasher, take a shower, bathe the kids and still have hot water to wash a load of towels. Sounds cool…

Tankless water heaters are pretty much the norm in Europe and Japan, where energy efficiency and space savings are a top priority. We are still a bit behind our neighbors to the East and West.  Are they really better?

Michael’s class got me thinking. I had lots of questions…so I did a little research on a few of the top names in the industry and here’s what I found:

What is a tankless water heater? A tankless water heater is an energy-efficient water heating system that heats water only when it’s needed. This small, space-saving water heater can supply endless streams of hot water to multiple appliances simultaneously, without any fluctuation in temperature.  

Why Tankless? An endless hot water and up to 40% savings in energy costs are just two reasons people select tankless water heater over a conventional tank-style water heater. Why heat gallons and gallons of the same old water over and over?

How much will a tankless system cost? The upfront costs of a tankless water heater is usually 2 to 2.5 times more than a conventional tank-style water heater. This is the biggest drawback I’ve found.

Here are some of the benefits and drawbacks to consider:

Benefits:

Drawbacks:

Other Considerations:

I suggest you compare the yellow “Energy Guide” stickers on your current heater and the tankless model you’re considering. This sticker will give you a good idea of what you can expect as far as energy expendature.  The amount of time it will take to make back your money with your monthly savings is called the payback period. You can expect 15-20 years of use from your tankless model.

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