By far the most common plumbing appliance in your home is your water heater, and if you plan on living in your home until your mortgage is paid off, chances are you will have to buy a new one eventually. When that time comes you will want to replace your water heater with an affordable, high-efficiency model, to not only save money today, but to save money for years to come. Before making a decision, we suggest you read this article to learn about the right choice for you.
Traditional versus On-Demand Water Heaters
Most people still have traditional water heaters in their home. These water heaters take up an area of a few square feed most likely in your garage or utility closet, and maintain a constantly temperature for stored water. Traditional water heaters typically cost less than 1/3 or less than a comparable on-demand unit, and maintenance and repair costs are generally in the same range. The average traditional water heater will last about 10-15 years, depending on the model.
On-Demand water heaters have a much smaller tank and do not keep stored water heated. When you turn your faucet on, your tankless water heater will instantly heat your water to the specified temperature, and offer a continuous stream of heated water until you turn it off. They cost 3 times as much, or more, than a comparable traditional unit and maintenance and repair costs may be more as well. On-Demand water heaters easily last 25 years or more, depending on the model.
Why Doesn’t Everyone Have an On-Demand Water Heater?
When you consider that an on-demand water heater lasts twice as long as a traditional water heater, can save you up to $100 every year on energy costs, and takes up a significantly smaller footprint in your home, it seems obvious that everyone should want an on-demand water heater. If those were the only factors, you would be absolutely correct. Before you run out and buy a new tankless water heater consider the following:
- Ventilation is Required.
If you have your water heater in a utility closet you may have to create a ventilation system to install an on-demand unit. - Multiple Bathrooms Require Larger or Multiple Units.
For homes with up to 3 showers, there are varying sizes of tankless water heaters to give you a constant flow of hot water, but if you have more than 3 showers you may need additional units to achieve this, or risk inconsistent water temperatures. - More Maintenance Needed.
On-Demand water heaters typically need maintenance more often than traditional units to achieve the longer lifespan. Having a great plumber available to service your equipment can easily ensure that this doesn’t significantly increase your costs. - Doesn’t Actually Free Up Space.
While boasting a smaller in-home footprint, often the area marked out for your water heater is built into such an awkward space of your home that a tankless model doesn’t actually free up any substantial space.
If you are considering a new water heater, have an honest plumber come check your existing one and see if it makes sense to replace or repair. Craig’s Plumbing in Las Vegas can do just that. And we have contracts available for your ongoing hot water heater maintenance and service. Give us a call today to learn more.
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