How a Tankless Water Heater Works and the Benefits It Offers
Thursday, March 28th, 2019
Also known as on-demand water heaters, a tankless water heater stays true to its namesake as it does not need a storage tank to work. This is great news for homeowners who are tired of calling a plumber in Knoxville, TN to fix leaks in their existing tanks.
How It Works
To understand how this tank works, you need to understand how the traditional tank heater operates. This system works by heating water in a large tank which has to be heated continuously to a constant temperature so that you can have hot water when you need it. However, since the tank needs to generate heat continuously even when the hot water is not being used, a lot of that energy is wasted.
Tankless water heaters are designed to avoid this issue like any plumber in Knoxville, TN will tell you. These only heat water that fills the tank and only when that hot water is needed. This is why they are also known as ‘on-demand’ heaters.
A powerful heat exchanger in the tankless water heater raises the temperature of the water to piping hot when needed. It works by transferring energy from one source to the other similar to how it works in a refrigerator and in your car radiator.
In a water heater, the exchanger works by transferring the heat that is produced by heated coils or a gas burner to the water that is directed towards a faucet or shower. It does this only when it detects incoming water flow and heats it to a preset temperature.
Types of Tankless Water Heaters
As a plumber in Knoxville, TN will tell you there are basically 2 types of tankless water heaters based on their size. The small one, for instance, is usually installed by people who live in small units such as an apartment while the larger ones are meant to serve an entire household.
While you can hire a plumber in Knoxville, TN to install multiple small tankless water heaters in your home to save money, you should just get a bigger one to save yourself the trouble. Depending on the size of your home and the number of people living in it, you may have to get more than one large unit. These can provide hot water to several points-of-use or locations in the house. To get the most out of the water heater, you should get it insulated by a reliable plumber in Knoxville, TN.
Benefits of Tankless Water Heaters
No more cold showers– Nothing is more scream-inducing than chilly water landing on shivering skin. If you live with family members, chances are this has happened to you more times than you can count. Rather than yelling at them to stop hogging the hot water, get a tankless water heater installed by a plumber in Knoxville, TN. Since it does not depend on a reserve of hot water and just heats water as it is needed, you can look forward to a warm shower every morning.
High Distribution Rate– Since tankless water heaters heat water as and when it is needed, you can do a lot of things simultaneously while using it. For example, even if someone is taking a shower you can run the dishwasher, washing machine and even use another shower in the house at the same time without running out of hot water. The tank will not stop producing hot water and will not run out of it either.
Last longer– These water heaters can make sure that you receive hot water when needed for at least 10 or at most 15 years. Traditional water heaters, on the other hand, can only last for 6 to 10 years at most.
Conserves water – A plumber in Knoxville, TN will tell you that a simple water heater can take a couple of minutes to produce hot water but it will take almost half an hour to refill the tank. Tankless ones, on the other hand, do this instantly since it heats flowing water. This saves a lot of time and water which would otherwise go down the drain unused while you wait for a traditional heating unit to do its job.
Saves money – Since tankless water heaters run way more efficiently than their traditional counterparts and use less energy as well, that translates to more money in your pocket. In fact, an average unit can save about 30% of energy on a yearly basis.
Saves space– A tankless unit is about one fifth the size of a traditional one so it can be mounted pretty much on any wall that is close to the plumbing. Since they are also safer to use in comparison, they can be placed in areas where a traditional unit may prove dangerous.
Clean water – As a plumber in Knoxville, TN will tell you when the water in a traditional heater cools down, it remains in the tank. This makes the tank rust which can contaminate the water you use the next time you need to wash your clothes or need a bath. Since tankless water heaters don’t have a tank and only heat water as it flows through, you get clean water to bathe in, drink and use for ablutions.
If you are in search of a reliable plumber in Knoxville, TN who can recommend a tankless water heater and install it as well, you cannot go wrong with My Professional Plumber. They are master plumbers who have years of experience under their belt and who will be more than happy to answer any queries you may have.
They are quite skilled in solving common plumbing issues such as damaged and leaky pipes, leaky toilets, backed up toilets, damaged furnaces, and leaky faucets. So if you need a plumber in Knoxville, TN who can help you with common and serious plumbing issues, don’t hesitate to call them. Just dial 865-622-4101 to talk to a representative.