Tankless Water Heaters

One day it may happen...  You’re showering and suddenly the water goes shockingly cold even though you’ve only just lathered up with soap.  Or you turn on the hot water tap and liquid the color of weak tea comes from the spigot.  These are pretty good indications that your water heater has reached the end of its many years of service and is now needing to be replaced.  But before you replace the defunct water heater with a similar model, you might be interested in one other option; the tankless water heater.
                As its name suggests, the tankless water heater functions without the use of a tank to hold and heat a large amount of water at one time, heating the water only when it’s needed.  When a hot water tap is opened, the unit powers up, water flows through the unit and is rapidly heated.  There’s no tank, and therefore, no running out of hot water.  There is also potential for energy savings as the water no longer needs to be maintained at a constant temperature awaiting use.
                The decision to invest in something entirely new should not be made without investigation to determine if a change will be beneficial to you.  While both types of equipment provide hot water, that’s where the similarities end.  When inquiring about a tankless water heater, be sure to ask about installation and usage costs, periodic maintenance, and how does the unit you’re interested in compare with other tankless systems or their tank counterparts?  So whether you’re still looking at house plans and the many options involved, or your current water heater cuts off for good, these details can help you decide if a tankless water heater is a worthwhile investment, or it the trade-offs suggest sticking with the standard water heater.