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Traditionally, most homes and businesses have used a hot water storage tank as their source for hot water. However, tankless water heaters are growing increasingly popular as home appliances. The benefits of tankless water heaters are considerable — and for a number of reasons, they may make a great choice for homeowners and property owners of all types. If you live in the New Orleans area, read on to learn a little more about the advantages of a tankless water heater and why one might make the right choice for your home.

Tankless Water Heater Extended Life

One of the most attractive benefits of tankless water heaters is their longevity. In many cases — with proper care and maintenance, which is typically not extensive — a tankless heater can be expected to last at least two decades, double the lifespan of a traditional water heater. The main reason for this is that they do not suffer from the same corrosion that a water heater tank — which is exposed to considerable moisture all the time — will face. Plus, tankless water heaters typically have a number of easily interchangeable parts, making repairs fairly easy when necessary.

Consequently, for longevity, a tankless heater can be a great choice both for homeowners who intend to remain in one house for a long period or for homeowners who simply wish to add considerable value to their homes.

Less Maintenance

Another one of the benefits of tankless water heaters is that they typically require less maintenance than a water heater with a tank. In fact, while a tank typically needs annual service, a tankless heater can often go several years without service. Of course, water quality is a significant factor is determining the amount of necessary upkeep. If you have a hard water source, cleaning the heater annually is still essential, to avoid mineral buildup.

Energy Efficiency

One of the major advantages of tankless water heaters — and consequently, one of the biggest draws for consumers — is that tankless heaters tend to be substantially more energy-efficient than their counterparts with tanks. (In some cases, they can be up to 50% more efficient!) Essentially, this is because water is heated as you need it, or “on-demand,” thus avoiding wasteful heating. This ends up making tankless heaters more environmentally friendly, as less electricity or gas needs to be used to heat water.

Lower Utility Bills with a Tankless Water Heater

Of course, another major benefit of energy efficiency is a consequent lowering of utility bills. Whether your tankless heater uses electricity, natural gas, or propane, the improved efficiency of a tankless heater can save up to hundreds of dollars over the course of a year.

Less Time To Wait For Hot Water

Some consumers may be hesitant about switching to a tankless water heater, partly due to a perception that hot water will be less reliable. Actually, the opposite is usually true! Tankless water heaters will heat water on demand, as needed. Water heating starts as soon as the hot water is turned on and lasts as long as needed. In other words, as long as you have a continuous supply of electricity or gas to your tankless heater, you will continue to have hot water.

Contrast this with a water heater tank, which heats a tank of water at a time. Once that tank is used up, you have to wait for the tank to refill to have sufficient hot water for bathing, dishwashing, or laundry needs.

Space-Saving

When people think of a water heater, they often imagine a bulky, roughly 60″x24″ tank, taking up considerable space in a basement or closet. With a tankless water heater, you can forget all that because one of the major benefits of tankless water heaters is that they are considerably smaller than their counterparts with tanks. In most cases, the difference is substantial: a tankless heater may only be the size of a small box — smaller than a microwave — allowing space that would otherwise be used by a water heater to be put to better use.

Tankless Water Heater Safety Benefits

Finally, it is important to mention the myriad safety benefits of tankless heaters. While most heaters with tanks are fairly safe, they are sometimes prone to certain alarming problems. For instance, a water heater tank can be prone to overheating, damaging the tank or the tank’s surroundings. In some cases, although uncommon, water heater tanks can even explode due to overheating.

The risk of a leak from a water heater tank is also considerable, particularly if the tank is prone to overheating, is old, or has not undergone needed maintenance. Water heater tanks can often hold well over 40 or 50 gallons of water, meaning a leak can be absolutely devastating to your home.

One of the benefits of tankless heaters is that these risks are considerably minimized. A tankless heater is not prone to overheating the way a tank heater is. Meanwhile, if it does unexpectedly overheat, it is less likely to do severe damage, given its small size. Similarly, a tankless heater containing relatively little water means that a leak is likely to do far less damage than a leak from a traditional water heater tank.

Conclusion

For all of the reasons above, tankless water heaters can make a great choice — whether you are building your own home, replacing an old water heater, or simply looking to improve your home’s value and efficiency. While tankless water heaters tend to be more expensive than water heater tanks, they can certainly be worth the cost as a long-term investment.

If you live in the New Orleans, Louisiana area and are looking for assistance with water heater installation and repair — or any other plumbing concerns — look no further! At Rooter Man, we have over 40 years of experience in plumbing service and repair, and can help you get the job done, whatever it may be!

Contact Rooter Man online, or call us at 504-464-0145 for more information.

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