3 Reasons Why You NEED a Tankless Water Heater
Hello! I am Les Nelson, Master plumber at Universal Plumbing & Sewer. If you're anyone like me, a day at my house is a crazy event; especially getting ready in the morning. As a husband with four children and a wife who enjoys indulging in lengthy morning showers, one comes to the amusing realization that if you happen to be the third through sixth person in line for the shower, there's no need for coffee to jolt you awake, as you're assured of experiencing a bracing cold shower by the time your turn arrives. We tried some of us taking our showers in the evening, but that just doesn't always work with my family's hectic schedule. My wonderful wife gently reminds me that as a plumber I could easily fix this issue.
UGHH! Why does she always have to be right?
There’s constant bickering among the kids about who gets to go first. It echoes through the house, their voices reverberating through closed doors as they yell, "Hurry up! You're hogging all the hot water!" One morning I had to be at work early, inevitably missing the usual morning chaos. Shortly after arriving at work, I received a phone call from my wife saying we had a plumbing emergency! Unfortunately, our standard water tank had burst resulting in no hot water and a flooded basement. Come home now! The irony is not lost on me; a plumber with a burst water tank. Needless to say, no one showered but me that morning and I had quite the plumbing snafu to resolve. Thankfully no one was hurt, but we had a flooded basement that resulted in tons of ruined personal belongings that couldn't be replaced!
After researching the best options for my family I came to the conclusion that a tankless water heater was the top choice!
There are so many great benefits of a tankless water heater.
Energy Efficient and a Tax Break
Most tankless heaters will have a tax break due to the efficiency a tankless offers! Energy Star certified Tankless Heaters use significantly less gas which not only helps you save on your energy bill but are also eligible for tax credits (Source: energystar.com). While standard heaters are heating water all day long to maintain proper temperature, tankless heaters only heat water you will use at a moment's notice. Some tankless brands have been reported to be upwards of 90% more efficient than a standard water tank. Newer tankless models can even be installed using the same size gas line as your old tank heater. This can amount to saving you tons of money in the process!
Extra Space
Tankless water heaters are much smaller than a standard tank and are wall mounted, meaning it will give you some much needed space for storage or a man cave!
Lasts Longer than a Standard Tank
I found that a tankless water heater lasts typically over 20 years while a standard heater only lasts around 8-12 years. A standard tank heater goes bad either by bursting (resulting in floods) or stops working efficiently causing you frustration and money trying to figure out how to make an old heater new. A tankless doesn't have a holding tank for anything to burst and every part on a tankless can be replaced without all the hassle. In general, tankless water heaters often have better warranty coverage and are all around a safer product.
Overall, the best reason why I love tankless water heaters is all six of us can take our long back to back showers and never run out of hot water. After that I could even go fill my kids pool, do loads of laundry, and the dishes with it without ever running out of hot water!
I wish I would have installed a tankless water heater years ago and ultimately preventing the frustration the standard heater gave us. But that’s all hindsight! Now I get to tell my kids. “Go take a shower then a bath if you want! Oh and feel free to take as long as you like too.” They may look at me strangely but it brings joy to my heart that I was able to meet a need.
