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HOME REMODELING 101
Author is a former builder and instructor of "Save Time and Money in Home Remodeling" continuing education course at Emory University. |
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Tankless Water Heaters (also "on demand water heaters")
-When I was building my house, I had a plumber try to sell me a tankless water heater (or "on demand water heater"). Apparently these obviate the need for a water heater tank in your home by heating water as you need it. In most cases, it is natural gas that is used to heat the water.
-The plumber made the argument that a tankless water heater would be ecologically friendly since we would not waste any more water waiting for the shower to warm up. In the drought prone southeastern U.S., that sounded like a good idea.
-After doing a little research into on-demand water heaters, I came up with mixed reviews. While some seem perfectly happy with their tankless water heater, others were disappointed by a few things.
-First, the up front cost for installation of the water heaters, including materials and labor, has been reported to be significantly higher than traditional water heater tanks. My wife and I didn't have the extra funds, so we opted against the tankless water heater.
-More importantly, however, I have read convincing reports about the large amount of natural gas required to power these tankless water heaters. Natural gas prices seem to be rising steadily, and my natural gas bills are already high. Whatever environmental benefit I might realize from less water useage might be negated by the higher natural gas consumption.
-The moral of the story is, do your research and talk to homeowners who already have a tankless water heater installed to gauge their level of satisfaction. Good luck!
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