TANKLESS WATER HEATERs in Northern Virginia

While tankless water heaters offer some awesome benefits, they’re not a good choice for everyone.  First, your home needs to be equipped with access to natural gas or propane. Also, since combustion takes place in the heating process using gas there needs to be adequate ventilation for both combustion (fresh air flow) and exhaust.  An AirPlus technician can quickly determine whether or not your home can accommodate a tankless hot water heater system.

What’s the difference between a traditional and tankless hot water heater?

A traditional water heater or “tank” water heater stores 30-50 gallons of hot water in a tank. That water is always ready to be used whenever someone showers, does the laundry or washes dishes. The water heater replenishes supply following use of the stored hot water in the tank.

A tankless water heater uses a heat source (electric or gas) to warm up cool water on-demand whenever you need it rather than storing hot water in a tank.

Pros and cons of traditional water heaters

Pros of a traditional water heater:

• Lower initial cost – A traditional water heater installation can be half as much as a tankless water heater.
• Easy and inexpensive to replace – Less installation complications means that there’s less that can go wrong.

Cons  of a traditional water heater:

• Higher utility bill – They heat and reheat water at a pre-set temperature regardless of your water needs. This increases your utility bill—especially during the winter winter.
• Bigger and harder to place – They occupy more room and can’t be placed outside.
• Can run out of hot water – Ever been the last in your family to get the shower? It’s a chilling experience. This problem can be avoided by purchasing a larger tank (althought that will be more in energy costs, as well.)
• Shorter life – Lasts 10-15 years. This means there’s more turnover and therefore you have to buy them twice as often as a tankless water heater.

Pros and cons of tankless water heaters

Pros of a tankless water heater:

• Saves money in the long run – According to Energy.gov, “For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand (or tankless) water heaters can be 24%–34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters.”
• Doesn’t take up much space – They are small and can be installed in more places—even outside on a wall.
• Lives longer – can last more than 20 years. That’s 2X the life of a traditional hot water heater.
• Delivers hot water on demand – Provides two to three gallons of hot water per minute on demand.

Cons of a tankless water heater:

• Higher initial cost – Costs $2800 to $4500 installed (depends on the model and who you get it from).
• New installs require retrofit – Replacing your traditional water heater with a tankless hot water heater can be complicated and involve increased installation costs.

Which hot water heater is right for you? If your home can accommodate a tankless system, and you can afford a higher upfront cost, then you can save money on energy vs traditional water heating. If you want a low upfront cost and don’t mid a higher electric bill then replacing an old traditional tanked water heatrer might be the right choice for you.

Additionally there may be other reasons why tankless is not a good option.  Here are a few links that may help decide if a tankless water heater may not be right for you:

• Tankless Water Heaters: Should I, or Shouldn’t I?
• Are Tankless Water Heaters a Waste of Money?

AirPlus is Northern Virginia’s best choice for installing your new traditional or tankless hot water heater

AirPlus is family-owned and operated and offers some fantastic choices when it comes to hot water heaters.  Our technicians are professionally trained to offer the best advice when selecting a hot water heater for your home.  And when it some to hot water heater installation, AirPlus is second to none in Northern Virginia. 

Call AirPlus today to schedule an appointment for an estimate on your new home hot water heater!