Frequently Asked Questions about Tankless Water Heaters
Water Heater Buying Guide
A complete resource to help homeowners understand water heater options
Deciding on whether to replace your traditional hot water tank with a modern on demand water heater can seem complicated. After all, there are hot water heater brands to consider, hot water tank prices, installation code requirements, understanding how tankless heaters work and how they’ll serve your family’s needs, and more.
To help you out, here are 5 of the most common questions we get about tankless water heaters:
Traditional storage tank water heaters heat and store a large quantity of water in a big tank until you’re ready to use it. As the heated water in the tank is used up, more water is introduced where it’s heated and kept at its set temperature on standby until it’s needed.
Tankless systems, on the other hand, heat water on demand using a heat exchanger. Activated when you turn on your shower, washing machine, dishwasher or faucet, the tankless water heater efficiently heats cold water to a set temperature. Water is heated as it passes through the coils and exits from the hot water outlet pipe to where it’s needed in your kitchen, bathroom or laundry room.
Once hot water is no longer needed, cold water stops entering the tankless water heater and the appliance turns off until it’s signaled to turn back on.
To learn more about tankless water heaters, Book a tankless water heater consultation.
The amount you save will depend on how much water you heat, what type of tankless water heater you choose and how efficient the water heater you are replacing is. Generally, depending equipment efficiency and your family size and usage, a tankless heater can mean hundreds of dollars saved over the unit’s lifetime, compared to a standard tank.
To learn more about tankless water heaters, Book a tankless water heater consultation.
As their name suggests, propane or natural gas models use different fuel sources to heat your water.
To learn more about tankless water heaters, Book a tankless water heater consultation.
Natural gas- or propane-powered tankless heaters typically provide enough hot water for your entire home, although there can be a longer lag of up to several minutes for water to heat and reach the part of the house where you need it.
If you don’t have natural gas in your home, a propane-powered model could be a great option for you.
To learn more about tankless water heaters, Book a tankless water heater consultation.
Whether you choose a natural gas or propane tankless water heater, a home heating expert will need to ensure your home can easily accommodate a tankless water heater since tankless water heaters have special venting and gas line requirements. The installation of any gas appliance must be performed by a licensed technician.
If you live in an area with hard water, which is rich in minerals like magnesium and calcium, you may want to purchase a water softener to remove hard water minerals from the water before it enters the tankless water heater. This will also reduce scale buildup in other appliances around your home.
To learn more about tankless water heaters, Book a tankless water heater consultation.
Check Out Our Offers Here!
Why Choose Reliance?
Many of our locations have been awarded Best of HomeStars
