Tankless, or on-demand water heaters, deliver hot water whenever, and only when, it’s needed.

Also known as instantaneous water heaters, they heat water as needed, without the need of a storage tank, using either a gas burner or an electric heating element.

The advantages of tankless or on-demand water heaters are many:

• They don’t produce the standby energy losses associated with storage water heaters, which can save you water heating bill money
• They never run out of hot water
• They can last up to five to 10 years longer than standard tank water heaters, provided you take steps to properly maintain them
• They’re more efficient with no standby heat loss
• They take up less space and can even be installed on walls or outdoors with an anti-freeze kit
• Smaller units can be installed under cabinets or in a closet
• They only need enough power to heat the amount of water necessary at any given moment
• No sediment buildup, tank noises, recovery times, and temperature problems
• Electric models don’t produce greenhouse gases
• Many units are operated by remote control and have up to four separate settings available.
• There’s no worry about a leaking or ruptured tank

One of the few drawbacks you may have with a tankless system is a limited the water flow rate. If you opt for gas-fired tankless water heaters, you’ll get higher flow rates than with the electric ones.

Even the largest, gas-fired models sometimes fail to deliver enough hot water for simultaneous, multiple uses in large households. The solution to this challenge is to install two or more tankless water heaters, connected in parallel for simultaneous demands of hot water; or, you can install separate tankless water heaters for appliances that use a lot of hot water in your home.

Tankless systems may initially be more expensive to purchase and install, but over time there’s savings in energy and maintenance costs. Not to mention the added comfort that comes with never running out of hot water!

Proper installation and maintenance of your tankless water heater is essential, and can optimize its energy efficiency, and is best left to a qualified HVAC contractor. Your contractor should be able to assist you with making sure that your water quality if good enough to keep your tankless water heater running at optimal performance, and can help you determine what maintenance is needed to ensure a long product life.

At UGI Heating, Cooling and Plumbing, our exceptional team of HVAC and plumbing technicians is ready to help you make a decision on the best kind of water heater for your home, by delivering HVAC solutions that meet your needs.

Contact us today for more information on tankless water heater and to make an appointment for all your HVAC repairs and HVAC services in Lancaster, PA, Reading, PA, Harrisburg, PA, and the Lehigh Valley, PA.