Your water heater is probably one of the least glamorous things in your home. It sits in a utility closet or a corner of the basement, doing its job until it doesn’t, and you only really think about it when something goes wrong. However, if your tank-style water heater is getting up in years, you might want to consider going with something different, because tankless technology has come a long way, and the benefits go well beyond just hot water on demand.
The biggest reason people shift to tankless systems is that you stop heating water that you’re not using. Tank systems continually heat then reheat the water in the cylinder to keep it at temp. A tankless unit heats water only when you call for it. There’s no standby loss and no energy wasted maintaining temperature in a tank nobody’s drawing from.
There’s a big difference between tank and tankless systems when it comes to energy use. Tankless water heaters can be a lot more energy efficient than conventional tank systems, particularly in homes that don’t use a lot of hot water from different taps at the same time.
A standard tank water heater is a large, immovable object. It takes up floor space, needs clearance around it, and there are not a lot of options when it comes to where it’s located. A tankless unit mounts on a wall and is roughly the size of a small suitcase. In homes where space is tight, that reclaimed square footage can be turned into something else.
Less energy consumed means a smaller carbon footprint. If you’re already thinking about where your home’s energy use comes from and what you can do about it, replacing an aging tank heater with a tankless unit is a good move and doesn’t require a solar installation or a major renovation.
One less obvious benefit of tankless systems is that you’re not draining and refilling a large tank every time sediment buildup requires a flush. Traditional tanks accumulate mineral deposits over time.
If you’re weighing a water heater replacement in the northwest Chicago suburbs, Elk Grove Village Sewer & Plumbing has been helping homeowners make the right call for more than 40 years. Get in touch with us to talk through your options.
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