Some Pro’s and Con’s of Tankless Water Heaters

By Matt Pastore, Master Plumber, Plumbing Manager, Garvin’s Sewer Service

Are you interested in getting a tankless water heater installed?

Some of the reasons why people are interested in them, are great:

1. They are efficient. With about a third of a homeowner’s budget going toward energy costs, efficiency is valued.
2. Tax credits and rebates. Many refunds and credits are being issued for appliances with energy efficient properties. Some of these water heaters qualify for those rebates.
3. They never run out of hot water. This feature is particularly of value to large households and restaurants that depend on constant hot water on demand, particularly during high peak times.
4. Some other stated benefits include space savings, longevity and return on investment, but we will look at these more.

Some of the reasons why you might want to stick with a regular water heater, in our opinion:

1. Because of the coolness of Colorado water (55°), the smallest units aren’t suitable in most cases. It takes a larger unit to heat water temperature the approx 70º needed for hot water for appliances and bathing. This may take away the benefit of space savings.
2. Tankless still need care, as do regular water heaters. A regular water heater has a life span of about 8-12 years, and a tankless has a life of about 20 years. The cost of annual upkeep, along with the upfront costs, may eat up any efficiency savings of a tankless. Regular water heaters can be checked as part of an annual furnace check or other annual maintenance.
3. The most efficient models are pricey. If you are genuinely looking for efficiency, be prepared to spend more money upfront and the time to recoup your investment to be years (3-10- some projections even put return on investment at 22 years!).
4. Up-front costs can be high. Depending on the model that’s right for you and the type of home you live in, proper venting and upgraded electrical can be costly.

So, whether you are interested in a standard water heater, or a tankless water heater, Garvin’s is happy to access your unique situation and make a recommendation that is best for you. You can rely on our 70+ years of service expertise to install, replace and educate you on either of these systems for years to come.

www.GarvinsSewerService.com

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(303) 571-5114

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