Prevent tank leaks & water damage by switching to a tankless water heater
If your current water heater leaks or you want to replace your hot water heating system before it fails, contact the plumbing experts at Pipe Works Services to have a tankless model installed in your home.
If you already have a tankless water heater, we can also perform necessary repairs and maintenance. Contact us today for an estimate in Summit, Madison, Chatham, and nearby.
Tankless water heaters are still unusual in the U.S., where tank-type water heaters have been used for many years. But in Europe, where energy costs are much higher, tankless water heating technology has a long and successful track record.
A tankless water heater only heats water when it’s needed, which means lower water heating costs and no more having to worry about running out of hot water. We see more and more customers installing tankless water heaters as a replacement for gas tank-type water heaters.
How does a tankless water heater work?
Most tankless water heaters burn either natural gas or propane fuel. But no fuel is burned until someone turns on a hot water tap, a dishwasher, or a washing machine. Water flow automatically ignites the water heater’s burner, and your water is heated as it follows a serpentine path through the heating element. Within just a few seconds, you have hot water.
Tankless water heaters are also known as “on-demand water heaters” for obvious reasons. Unlike a tank-type water heater that must consume energy intermittently to maintain a minimum hot water temperature in the storage tank, a tankless water heater only burns fuel when you need hot water.
When is a tankless water heater a smart choice?
Business owners like tankless water heaters because these appliances simply stay off when the workspace is unoccupied. But what about homeowners?
If your home is regularly empty for long periods, switching to a tankless water heater will eliminate unnecessary water heating that takes place with tank-type models.
Installation flexibility is another benefit
As shown in the photo, a tankless water heater has its components housed in a steel box that’s designed to be mounted on the wall. It’s more compact than a tank-type water heater, so it can be installed just about anywhere. Thanks to high-efficiency, direct-vent technology, most tankless water heaters don’t need to vent combustion gasses up a chimney. Instead, a small fan blows these combustion byproducts through a plastic pipe that extends through an exterior wall.
- Clogged filter. A tankless water heater typically relies on an in-line filter to prevent sediment and other solids from entering and clogging the heat exchanger. Unless you have the filter cleaned or replaced regularly, clogging occurs, which cuts down on water flow and hot water output. A clogged water line can also cause the heat exchanger to be damaged.
- Scale build-up. Minerals in the water can harden and form deposits in the heat exchanger. This will reduce heating efficiency; it can also lead to premature failure of the heat exchanger. Regular cleaning usually does away with this problem.
- Overwhelming demand. A tankless water heater can produce only a limited volume of “on-demand” hot water. This isn’t a problem when one person is taking a shower. But if hot water needs to flow to numerous users at once, there may not be enough hot water to go around.
Enjoy continuous hot water & double the lifespan of your hot water system
Periodic cleaning and checkups are important to keep a tankless water heater in top condition. Pipe Works Services can complete this essential maintenance. We can also install a new tankless water heater in your home.