Tankless Upgrades, Repairs, + Maintenance

Upgrade to a Tankless Water Heater

Most homes still use a traditional water heater. While inexpensive, tank type water heaters take up a lot of room, and homeowners must wait for water to get hot after they use the warm water in the tank. When your traditional water heater breaks down, it may be time to consider the future in water heating technology with a tankless water heater.

Benefits of Tankless

Many homes still use traditional tank water heaters. However, more and more households are upgrading to tankless when the opportunity arises, thanks to the benefits of tankless models when compared to traditional water heaters.

Some of the benefits of tankless water heaters include:

On Demand Hot Water

Unlike tank type water heaters that store the heated water in the tank, tankless water heaters produce hot water on demand. The unit heats the water immediately before sending the water to the appropriate fixture. No waiting for the tank to fill up with warm water after its all used up!

Higher Efficiency

Tankless models offer greater efficiency than standard water heaters since they don't experience standby heat loss. Water stored in a tank will lose heat over time, even if the tank has quality insulation. The unit must work harder to keep the water warm. You don't have the same concern with tankless water heaters, meaning lower energy costs and a lower utility bill.

Longer Lasting

On average, traditional water heaters last about 8 years. However, when properly maintained, tankless water heaters last 12+ years. You don't have to buy a new unit as quickly, saving you money in the long run.

Compact Size

Conventional water heaters require a lot of room, including valuable floor space. Tankless models take up much less space. In most cases, you will mount the unit on the wall, leaving floor space for other uses.

Types of Tankless Water Heaters

Once you decide to go tankless, you still have some decisions to make, as there are numerous types of tankless models available:

• Tankless electric water heater
• Tankless condensing gas water heater
• Tankless non-condensing gas water heater

When it comes to efficiency, you want to opt for a gas tankless water heater or an electric tankless water heater.

Things to Consider About Tankless Upgrades

While there are numerous benefits to upgrading to a tankless model, there are also two important things to consider about the upgrade:

• Higher initial investment
• Upgrading a to a gas tankless water heater often requires upgrades to your home's infrastructure to properly ventilate the unit, as their venting requirements differ from traditional tank type units in diameter and length. Similarly, electric tankless water heaters may require an upgrade to the electrical system and breaker panel. At U.S. Water Heating Solutions, our technicians are factory trained and certified to properly install tankless upgrades in alignment with manufacturer's specifications.
• Preventative Maintenance
• After your initial investment, tankless water heaters require an annual (or more frequent) flush with a manufacturer approved solution to remove sediment build-up. Flushing a tankless water heater ensures the unit runs efficiently and can help to ensure your heat exchanger warranty remains valid. During this time, our service technicians will also check and clean the parts that are most crucial to your unit's operation (e.g., flame rod, ignitor, inlet water filter, etc.). It is important to note that every service company's or plumbing company's preventative maintenance stipulations may differ. Thus, we recommend asking what their preventative maintenance offerings include to ensure you receive the greatest value for your investment. 
  

Sizing Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heater manufacturers measure hot water production in gallons per minute (GPM). The water will never go cold, no matter how long you leave it running, unlike tank type water heaters. However, the hot water gets divided by each open fixture in the house. If three people run a 2.0 GPM shower head, the tankless model must have at least a 6 GPM rating to support the demand. Otherwise, the home may experience what's known as a cold water sandwich, meaning cold water may get hot momentarily, but it will return to its original cold temperature shortly.

It's important to note that while a unit may advertise as 6 or 7 GPM, that's not necessarily what you'll get. The actual GPM will depend on the temperature rise. The temperature rise indicates how much of a difference the incoming water is compared to the desired temperature. A larger temperature rise means a lower GPM.

Contact U.S. Water Heating Solutions  or call 833-879-4776 to learn more about tankless model upgrades.

Don't forget to sign up for your regular preventative maintenance program at the time of installation to ensure that your heat exchanger stays in good shape and to ensure that you have appropriate documentation in the event that your tankless water heater requires heat exchanger replacement!