If you are a homeowner, there are many things you need to consider. Everything from easy to do home maintenance to the price of installing new appliances become important decisions. One of the important considerations is the type of system you would like in your home to heat the water. Tankless water heaters are becoming more popular. However, before you buy one, there are some things you should consider.

Cost Effective

A tankless water heater will save you money on your energy bill every month. It uses less energy to run and is therefore environmentally friendly. A traditional tank heater or storage heater typically uses more energy to keep water hot all the time. Tankless heaters heat water as you use it or on demand. Because there is no storage tank that needs to be heated continuously, it will not take as much energy to run.

There are two costs involved with a hot water system, the cost of installing it and the cost of the heater itself. Tankless heaters cost about two to three times more than a traditional storage heater. While you might save money in the long run on your monthly energy bill, the upfront cost is much higher with a tankless water heater.

Always Heated!

When you want a hot shower, a tankless system will never run out of hot water. This is because it heats water as you use it. A water heater with a tank stores a certain amount of water that it keeps warm and once that is gone, then it must refill and reheat more water. While the lower monthly energy bills for a tankless water heater might never fully make up for the upfront costs, the idea of having warm water on demand is one great reason for choosing it over a storage tank system.

Installing a tankless water heater is also more complicated than the standard storage tank system. Because a tankless heater must provide a great deal of heat in a very short period of time, it uses a great deal of gas. As a result, you might need to run a new gas line to be able to supply the extra capacity.

A Viable Option For You?

You will also want to think about how much hot water your household uses. The top tankless water heaters pump about five to six gallons per minute. This amounts to over 300 gallons of water every hour. In comparison, a storage tank that holds 80 gallons of water will run out in about 15 minutes.

When deciding if a tankless water heater is right for your home, check to compare any warranty details. Make sure you understand what is covered and how long the warranty is good for. Take time to ask if the warranty offered can be extended. If it can be, find out how much more that will cost. Also, you should ask if the installation cost for a tankless water heater will be included in the cost price or if it is extra. If it is separate, find out how much it costs.