The Pros & Cons of a Tankless Water Heater

As a homeowner, you may have heard some talk recently about tankless water heaters; you may even have been seriously considering buying one. There is a lot of information out there about these home water heating alternatives. In order to help you separate the wheat from the chaff, here is a look at some of the Pros and Cons associated with tankless water heaters.

Pros:
• Cost efficient — A tankless water heater can save you a lot of money on your monthly utilities, cutting as much as 20% off the cost of heating the water in your home. A lot of them also come with a federal tax rebate for $300.
• Easy-to-use — Tankless water heaters are compact in design and can be easily positioned anywhere in a home. They also often come with remote controls for ease of use.
• Not wasteful — Tankless water heaters eliminate standby losses. Hot water is never left to cool in a storage tank or in long pipes. You don't need to run your water to get to the hot water. It delivers the warm water immediately.
• Longlasting — With a tankless water heater you get an unlimited supply of hot water. You never have to worry again about cutting your shower short because someone else in the household still needs to take a shower!
• Sturdy — A tankless heater won't corrode; as a result, their lifespan is 5 to 10 years longer than tank-type heaters which only last 12 years on average.
• Flood-proof — No more worrying about flooding the basement when your water tank breaks. By installing a tankless water heater, you never again have to worry about the tank breaking and causing extensive damage to your home and belongings.

Cons:
•    No Power? No Hot Water! — In the event of a power outage, you won't have any hot water, not even, at least, one tank as with a tank heater. If you live in an area with frequent power issues, this is a significant point to consider.
•    Cost - Hold on a second... didn't we just say that they save money? They do in the long-run. The problem is that up front costs can be pretty intimidating, depending on the brand, size and model, and also where you are having the unit installed.
•    Erratic Water Temperature — Water temperature can take a minute to rise with on-demand heaters. If you live in a particularly cold neck of the woods, this problem can be especially evident.