Water Heaters 101
The way many households in this country heat water is absurdly wasteful. We install giant, space sucking tanks in our attics, garages or kitchens. We fill that tank with 50 gallons of water then pour energy into keeping the water hot 24/7, year in and year out. All of this only to have a teenager or two take that commonly long shower and poof, all that hot water is gone. Now the laundry and the dishes will have to wait until the water has had time to heat back up!
Depending on the ground water temperature, this process can take from one and a half to three hours for a gas heater. You don't want to know how long this will take if the heater is electric!
Tank water heaters are not only inefficient, but they can also be dangerous.
Here in Texas, earthquakes are something we don't spend a lot of time thinking about but if you live in California, you better hope your tank is strapped well. Texas residential building code does require that tank water heaters are up on a 18" high pedestal, sitting in a drain pan, have a T&P Valve and are strapped. Better safe than sorry!
Tanked water heaters have a shelf life of 8 to 12 years.
The age of your heater will be posted on the face of the tank; best to know how old it is before you find out the hard way. Older water heaters can leak due to corrosion and over time, the T&P valve (temperature & pressure) can become corroded and fail which can make your heater a safety hazard. Check the T&P valve yearly to be sure you can open it to release pressure and water when needed.
Chances are pretty good that most home owners will find it necessary to replace their water heater at some point during their home ownership. Anytime you have renovations done to your home that require a city permit, you may be required to bring existing systems up to code. This includes your water heater. This is the perfect time to swap out your antiquated tank heater with a new tankless heater!
The advantages of going tankless.
There are many, including life span, less space, safer and energy efficiency to name a few. Gas Tankless water heaters have a life span of 20 years or more. So while they do cost more to purchase and install, the ROI is better in the end.
Tankless water heaters mount on an interior wall, in the attic and even outside, so there’s no need to dedicate a whole closet to this water heater! Also, tankless water heaters do not store any significant water so the tipping and leaking concerns are completely eliminated.
Tankless water heaters will save from 27% to 50% on energy costs over the tank heaters, and they heat water on demand rather than keeping the water in the tank hot at all times.
One of the newest tankless options on the market is a tankless/instant hot combination unit. This unit takes seconds to deliver hot water to the faucet and can be installed at the point of service inside a vanity if you wish.
So while you still have plenty of options in tank heaters, be sure to check out the tankless heater options before you purchase. The lower cost of the tank heater versus the higher cost of the tankless may be disguising the better value.