How Tankless Water Heaters Can Improve Your Austin Home
To the extent you think about your water heater at all, odds are that you think of a big, bulky contraption with a large tank that stores hot water. Thanks to modern technology, though, you can get rid of the tank and save plenty every year.
Unlike an ordinary water heater, a tankless system heats water on demand. As soon as you turn on a faucet or start up an appliance that uses hot water, cold water flows into the heater. The system warms it up directly using gas or electric heat, then pumps the hot water right where it’s needed. As soon as you shut off the hot water, the system shuts down, too.
The biggest upshot of such a system is that there’s no power wasted heating up water that you don’t really need. A tankless heater gives you exactly as much hot water as you use, and there’s no need to keep it warm because it’s used immediately. Depending on your hot water usage, a tankless system can save you $100 or more every year just by reducing energy usage. The less hot water your home uses, the more you’ll save.
Large, gas-fired heaters can supply up to five gallons of hot water per minute, which is plenty for most applications. However, although the hot water never really runs out, it’s possible to exceed the heater’s capacity if you, for instance, do a load of laundry and take a hot shower at the same time. To deal with this issue, we can install two heaters side by side to double the hot water capacity.
In addition to providing hot water for the whole home, tankless heaters can be set up to supply specific appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers. If you have an outdoor bathroom, hot tub or other appliance that needs hot water, we can use tankless heating to supply water to those as well. Systems set up to supply specific appliances are even more efficient than general-purpose water heaters, leading to greater savings.
There’s plenty to like about tankless water heaters, and once you’ve set one up in your Austin home, you’ll see the difference in your utility bills immediately. Under most circumstances, you pay extra to get what you want on demand. Amazingly, when it comes to hot water, you may actually save.
If you’re curious about the benefits of tankless water heating for your home, contact the experts at ABC Home & Commercial Services in Austin, or schedule a free estimate online.