If it’s time to replace your water heater, you might consider a Menlo Park tankless water heating unit. Going tankless might seem like a big undertaking, but we’re here to help. This guide will help you understand and decide if it’s time for you to embark on your Menlo Park tankless water heating project.
Why Go Tankless?
If you’ve always had a traditional storage water heater, you might not even realize that a tankless water heater is an option. Tankless water heaters, though, have many benefits over traditional types ranging from an endless supply of hot water to energy savings to space savings.
Also known as demand-type water heaters, tankless water heaters are just like they sound, tankless. Instead of a giant 40-gallon water heater that stores hot water, a tankless water heater is a small unit that is hooked straight up to the cold water pipe and heats the water as needed (or on demand) when the hot water is turned on.
One of the biggest benefits of this is energy savings. Since the unit does not require constantly keeping a large tank of water hot, less energy is used and more money is saved. Another benefit is aesthetic. Maybe you want to remodel and dislike the look of a giant water tank. Tankless units are small and tankless electric units can even be small enough to fit under a bathroom sink.
Gas-fired or Electric Tankless Water Heating Units
We just mentioned electric tankless water heating units. You in fact have two choices for tankless water heaters: gas-fired and electric. Both have pros and cons, and which type you install should be based on your hot water needs.
As mentioned, electric tankless water heaters can be very small in size. This is great if you’re looking to upgrade a water heater in just one room. For example, if you’re remodeling and just want to upgrade the hot water in one bathroom, an electric unit could be what you want. It’s small and it’s quiet, but it’s going to cost you more and it’s overall lifespan is shorter than a gas-fired unit. Still, it is a good choice if you have the budget and just want to upgrade one room.
Gas-fired water heating units are better if you’re looking to power your entire house with just one water heater. Natural gas is cheaper than electricity, and for this reason it will cost you less to run a gas-fired unit. Furthermore, they have up to a 20-year lifespan, which is pretty good for any water heater.
Other Consideration for Tankless Water Heaters
One of the biggest challenges to installing tankless water heaters is cost. If you’re going from a traditional storage tank system to a tankless system, you’ll have to deal with installation costs that include things like new tubing for venting if you choose a gas-fired tankless water heater.
Tankless heaters might also take longer to heat up your water. Since the water is heated on-demand when a tap is turned on, that cold water is being heated on the spot, so getting it to the desired temperature could be slower than a storage-type system. The good news is that you’ll have more hot water since it will continue to heat the water as long as the tap is on—you won’t run out like you might with a tank.
Let Us Help You
A project like switching from a traditional storage water heater to a tankless water heating system requires the help of a licensed professional. Performance Plumbing is ready and waiting to help you choose, install, and maintain your Menlo Park tankless water heating system. Give us a call or send us an email to schedule an appointment.