Looking for a Tankless Water Heater? Here are Some Buying Tips

Table of Contents

1. The Cost
2. Installation and Maintenance
3. Longevity
4. Flow Rate

It’s the dead of winter, and for many homeowners, the reality of running out of hot water feels like a dreadful inevitability that they must deal with. For those tired of running out of hot water, then a compact, efficient tankless water heater feels like a godsend. The typical way of using water can be incredibly wasteful. You can fill up a gigantic storage tank, and keep the energy going to ensure that you have hot water at the ready as soon as you need it.

However, as soon as someone in the house takes that long, luxurious shower or bubble bath, then that tank has been emptied and everyone else needs for it to reheat. A tankless water heater can help you circumvent some of the bigger headaches, although there are a few important questions to consider before purchasing one. For example, many worry about whether the contraption will spring a leak in the home, or will fill up with difficult-to-clean sediment that only sucks up the energy, leading to a higher bill. The following is everything you need to know about choosing and installing a tankless water heater.

The Cost

The first thing that’s probably on your mind is just how costly the whole endeavor can be since you’re working out a budget. If your house isn’t too big and has one bathroom, you may not need anything more than a small, gas-fired unit. These can range anywhere from two hundred dollars to the low thousands if you want one that releases a high enough output that you can comfortably get two hot showers going at the same time.

A tankless electric heater on the other hand tends to be a bit cheaper and can cost one hundred dollars to a little less than a thousand. While the installation for an electric one is a bit more expensive from the get-go, it’s cheaper to buy and maintain overall. If you’re not sure about the exact type you need, then it pays to check with a local professional before purchasing one.

Installation and Maintenance

Of course, when you buy a tankless water heater, you would get a professional to help install everything, regardless of whether it’s a gas-operated or electric one; the people at thinktankhome.com never encourage anyone to try installing such a complicated contraption themselves, though. Not only can you get yourself hurt, but you’ll also need help ensuring that you don’t create a major water or gas leak in the home. Furthermore, the professionals will be able to upgrade the wiring and circuit breaker panel when necessary, so that it doesn’t run into any dangerous issues in the house.

The next important thing to consider when purchasing a tankless water heater is the sort of maintenance the model you’ve purchased needs. You should check to see if the pros you’ve purchased the heater from offer annual services such as cleaning or changing the water and air filters. Also, the heater will probably need to be checked regularly to see if the burner is working properly. If you live in an area with hard water, an expert can show you how to deal with that sort of mess.

You may need to use a vinegar solution to flush out the mineral buildup after a couple of hundred hours, depending on the scale. This keeps the heater from ever getting all clogged up, and ruining the pipes or other crucial elements of your home’s infrastructure. You may need a professional to show you the first time, but you can probably take on doing this part of the job on your own moving forward.

Longevity

In this case, you don’t want to purchase a flimsy piece of metal. You should take the time to research the different options available on the market and find reviews attesting to the tankless water heater’s quality and, accordingly, its longevity. However, the baseline to keep in mind is that gas-burning tankless water heaters should operate for about twenty or so years, and they should last you quite a long time. On the other hand, electric units don’t last as long and typically run out of steam in about ten years or so. Depending on how large and how old your home is, you may need to purchase a specific kind of water heater to ensure that it continues to run for a longer period, without running into any trouble.

Flow Rate

One major element that has a big impact on the kind of heater to choose is the flow rate in your home. To find the perfect one for you, take note of the number of appliances or fixtures that are typically used simultaneously in the home. For example, most people use the kitchen sink at the same time as a load of laundry, while someone else is in the shower. This is pretty standard practice in any house and has a major impact on the total flow rate.

One way to help you arrive at an exact calculation is to look at the flow rate typically attached to the appliance, and also see how long it takes to fill a one-gallon container. Share these numbers with the professional or home goods store you plan to purchase the tankless water heater from, and they will be able to help you accurately assess the kind of machine to buy.

Taking care of every detail in your home is crucial, and the best way to achieve that is by understanding the required maintenance process. Depending on your circumstances, you may need a huge tankless water heater, or a smaller one. Or, you may need to splurge for a gas-powered version as opposed to the cheaper electric one. In all cases, checking in with a professional beforehand and discussing your needs will help you a great deal, since nothing is worse than buying something sight unseen.

Thank you for reading!