Everything you need to know about tankless water heaters

Whether it’s your first time buying a tankless water heater or you’re replacing your old one, there’s a lot to consider.

You’ll need an idea of whether a gas or electric fuelled system is best for your home, how much hot water you’ll need during your peak hours, and if your home can even accommodate a tankless water heater.

They’ve become increasingly popular thanks to their energy efficiency, compact design, and their ability to deliver a (seemingly) endless stream of hot water.

But how exactly do tankless water heaters work, and why might they be the best option for your home?

Discover everything you need to know in this post.

How do tankless water heaters work?

To put it simply, when a hot water tap is opened, cold water runs into the tankless water heater.

As water flows into the unit, an electric heating element or gas burner jumps into action and heats the water. By the time the water leaves the heater, it’s hot and ready to use.

When the hot water tap is closed, the cold water entering the system is shut off, and the electric or gas heating components shut down – leaving the appliance to wait until the tap is opened again.

What are the benefits?

Tankless water heaters offer a variety of benefits, including:

• Providing unlimited hot water

The length of your shower is no longer determined by the size of your water heater’s storage tank.

When sized correctly, a tankless water heater will be able to provide your home with an endless supply of fresh hot water.

• Saving energy and cutting costs

Despite their high upfront cost, tankless water heaters actually help to cut your costs in the long run.

As their name suggests, tankless water heaters will heat water on demand, and do not maintain a supply of water.

By only heating water when it’s needed, not only will you be able to save money on your energy bills, but it will also conserve energy – because the water doesn’t need to constantly be reheated.

• Taking up less space

If the space in your home is limited, tankless water heaters provide a huge benefit.

Typically, they’re mounted to the wall, and take up significantly less space compared to tank-style water heaters.

Are there any drawbacks?

Like any product, tankless water heaters have their downsides, and they’re not the right solution for every home. Just some of the disadvantages include:

• High upfront cost

This is one of their biggest initial drawbacks.

Tankless water heaters are more expensive, primarily due to higher installation costs.

Special wiring and/or a new vent pipe will need to be installed to handle the increased load.

• Taking longer to deliver hot water

Tankless water heaters take much longer to deliver hot water compared to their tank-style counterparts.

• Inconsistent temperatures when more than one tap is in use

If you have multiple showers and taps running at the same time, tankless water heaters aren’t able to keep up.

Purchase a K-type thermocouple to monitor and keep track of temperatures

K-type thermocouples are a very important component in tankless water heaters.

They help you monitor and keep track of the temperature of the water, and will help you to identify any problems should they arise.

There are hundreds of reputable suppliers online, like Cartridge Heaters, who provide their customers with the highest quality thermocouples on the market.

For more information or to place an order, get in touch with their team today!