If your old water heater is starting to rust and is well past its life span, it's time to get a new heater. It's also a good time to switch to a tankless heater. You may enjoy a tankless heater if your tank model often ran out of hot water when you took a long hot soak in the evenings. Tankless water heaters are more convenient to use, and they are also more efficient to operate. These are three things to know about installing tankless water heaters.
1. They Operate On Gas Or Electricity
You can choose a gas or electric tankless heater according to what you prefer and the hookups you have available in your house. If you don't already have a gas line in your home, you may not want to install it just for a water heater. An electric model might be a better choice unless you have the added expense of upgrading the electrical panel to support it.
A plumber can help you decide on the right choice. You may also want an electrician to check your panel and compare the cost of an upgrade with the cost of getting gas installed for the first time to see which is the better choice. If you get a gas tankless water heater, you'll need to vent it to the outside, and that could affect where you have the heater installed.
2. They Mount On The Wall
Since there is no reservoir tank, a tankless heater doesn't rest on the ground. Instead, it's mounted on the wall and has a similar look as an electrical panel, except it's much thicker and bigger. You have more choices for the installation of a tankless heater. If you buy a small one, you might even have it mounted in the bathroom closet or near the kitchen sink.
3. Hot Water Delivery Takes Time
The appeal of a tankless water heater is that it doesn't run out of hot water and not that the hot water is instant. The heater makes hot water instantly, but the hot water has to travel the length of the pipe to your shower before it comes out of the shower head. Until then, cold water comes out. This usually isn't a big deal, and the length of time you have to wait can be shortened by putting the heater closer to your shower. There are also things a plumber can add that recirculate water so you don't have to wait as long, so if instant hot water is important, let your plumber know.
Contact a local HVAC service, such as Meadow Ridge Custom Heating, to learn more.