Go Tankless!

Here are some advantages to Tankless, on-demand water heating:

• Tankless water heaters are compact in size and virtually eliminate standby losses - energy wasted when hot water cools down in long pipes or while it's sitting in the storage tank.
• By providing warm water immediately where it's used, tankless water heaters waste less water. People don't need to let the water run as they wait for warm water to reach a remote faucet. A tankless water heater can provide unlimited hot water as long as it is operating within its capacity.
• Equipment life may be longer than tank-type heaters because they are less subject to corrosion. Expected life of tankless water heaters is 20 years, compared to 10 to 15 years for tank-type water heaters.
• Tankless water heaters range in price from $200 for a small under-sink unit up to $1000 for a gas-fired unit that delivers 5 gallons per minute. Typically, the more hot water the unit produces, the higher the cost.
• In most cases, electric tankless water heaters will cost more to operate than gas tankless water heaters.

It's Your Money

Whichever type of water heater you buy - either gas or electric - look for a unit with a higher energy factor. It may cost more initially, but the energy (and your money) savings may more than make up for the higher sticker price. Consider the price difference and how long it would take to recover the money through energy savings.