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Pros And Cons Of Tankless Water Heaters

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A tankless water heater can be a wonderful addition to a home. Instead of continuously storing hot water, tankless units heat the water when the faucet is turned on. These units are also referred to as ‘on-demand,’ or ‘instantaneous’ water heaters. However, this type of water heater is not for everyone. Take a look at the pros and cons of an on-demand water heater to decide if this kind of water heater is right for you.
Pros and Cons of an On-Demand Water Heater
Pros

On-demand water heaters are more energy efficient than conventional water heaters. The Department of Energy states that for homes that use no more than 41 gallons of hot water a day a tankless water heater can be up to 34 percent more efficient than a traditional water heater. In …show more content…

Replacing parts on an instantaneous unit is easy, which extends the life of the unit even more.

Cons

The upfront cost of the unit.

Tankless water heater installation is expensive.

Due to its high-powered burners, special venting systems are necessary with on-demand water heaters. Units that operate on natural gas frequently need a larger diameter gas pipe, which increases the cost of installation.

Smaller units cannot produce the amount of hot water needed in most households. These smaller units can only serve one faucet at a time.

Larger tankless units have the ability to provide sufficient water for an entire family. However, these units are much more expensive than the smaller units are.

If an on-demand water heater turns off following a task and you turn the hot water back on a few minutes later, you may experience a 'cold-water sandwich.' The hot water that remained in the piping after the first task will flow out and then cold water flows past the water heater before the unit is triggered to turn back on (Hot - Cold -

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