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Why Switch to Tankless Water Heaters?

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One plumbing product in the last decade that has seen a spike in popularity is Tankless Water Heater. You hear them mentioned all the time. But, even when doing some research on them, you still may be unsure of whether these are a good fit for you, personally. Well, not only are you in luck, but you have the Raleigh hot water heater experts at Poole’s Plumbing here to help better explain. We will give you  the “ins and outs” of Tankless Water Heaters and from there the decision is all yours.

At Poole’s Plumbing, we have long been known in the Raleigh area as advanced when it has come to the evolution of water heaters. Hence, our being called the ” Raleigh- area Water Heater experts.” So rather than leaving you confused as to the benefits of Tankless Water Heaters, the “experts” have got you covered. Below we will take an in-depth look at Tankless Water Heaters.

How do Tankless Water Heaters Work Differently from Traditional Style?

Once again, your friends at Poole’s Plumbing are here to set the record straight and give you all the details. To begin describing how Tankless Water Heaters operate differently, one must first understand how the traditional units work. That would be to have a tank of hot water that the traditional unit keeps heated constantly. Thus, when a faucet is turned on, hot water is readily available.

On the contrary, Tankless Water Heaters heat the water they hold “on demand.” Now, let’s explain what “on-demand” is exactly. When you turn on a shower or faucet for hot water, cold water enters the unit. In the tankless units, it will pass a heating element or burner and instantly reach the desired hot temperatures. So, with the Tankless Water Heaters, there is no wait time. To explain, the traditional unit would have to wait as the storage tank to refill. With the Tankless models, there is no storage or refill, as it simply heats the water as needed and as used.

What Does Eliminating the Storage Tank Mean to You?

So, again, there are so many articles that explain things like not having to store the water. However, most of these never go the one step further to explain what that means to you personally. Thus, being the Raleigh water heater experts, we would like to tell you exactly what it means to you.

So, below is several advantages that Tankless Water Heaters give you as opposed to the traditional units.

  • Size- Tankless Water Heaters are much smaller in size. They mount directly to the wall.
  • Eliminate Leakage- As we discuss above, there is no stored water with Tankless Water Heaters. This eliminates any chance of leakage and damage from that occurring.
  • Efficiency- The efficiency rate of Tankless Water Heaters is nearly 99 percent. This gives you the most energy-efficient and environmentally correct water heater.
  • Savings- Due to only heating water when it is needed, Tankless Water heaters also reduce your water heating costs. This is because thermal heat loss is completely eliminated since there is no storage needed. It’s estimated the Tankless Water Heaters save you as much as 50 percent on. water heating costs.
  • Life Span- Tankless Water Heaters have a longer life span on average than traditional units. The Tankless models usually last about 20 years. Consequently, the storage type models last between 8-12.

What is the Difference Between “Whole-House” or “Point-of-Use”?

With all of the apparent advantages of going tankless, you may already feel these units are what you need. However, one other major plus of them is their flexibility. To explain, you can go in two directions when choosing your tankless heater. The first option we will look at is “Whole-House” size heater.

Whole House Tankless Water Heaters

Pretty self-explanatory, but to go into detail, this is a large unit that is centrally located. The water comes from the unit through your pipes, to each hot water fixture. This is usually the most cost-effective option for purchase and installation. However, to continue being thorough, we must explain that there are some possible drawbacks to the “whole house” water heaters.

First, you have to wait for the water to get hot at the tap. This is similar to a traditional unit. The reason for this is that the further a fixture is from the water heater, the longer it takes the hot water to travel and get there. The other possible issue is that with a Tankless Water Heater, you may only be able to get hot water from one or two sources at the same time. This is because the flow rate is less with a tankless model.

Point-of-Use Tankless Water Heaters

Where a “point-of-use” tankless water heater truly is most effective is by giving you instant hot water due to the placement of the unit. These are basically a smaller Tankless Water Heater that ia an easy install throughout one’s house. Popular placement includes under a sink or in a closet. This type not only eliminates any flow rate issues but also takes care of having to have the water travel through pipes at a great distance too.

Which if Any is Right for You?

So, there you have just about anything you would need to know as an introduction to Tankless Water Heaters. If you have any further questions, contact us, the number one trusted name in Tankless Water Heaters in the Raleigh area, Poole’s Plumbing. We can service, install, or just answer your questions. To reach us, go to poolesplumbing.com.