Newsletter: January/February 2023 Author: Jerry Butler
Rising utility costs are creating havoc on the pocketbook. Natural gas prices may not be as high as a carton of eggs, but it could be by the end of this new year 2023.
Question:
How can we save money and not sacrifice performance?
Answer:
We must Be better informed in the decisions we make!
If you would have told me that a tankless water heater would become the new standard for all water heating back when I first got in the Plumbing trade, I would have said you were crazy. That it is a fad, no way that little box can produce the same amount of hot water that comes out of a large storage tank. Well, I need to say I was wrong!
Just like the Automotive industry trending towards electric vehicles instead of gas. The Water Heater industry is trending towards Tankless water heaters instead of Tank Type water heaters.
So, are they better and will you save money?
HMMMM.
To answer this, we will need to understand the difference between standard and upgrade. Tank type water heaters in most cases would be considered a standard dumb appliance. Meaning they only do one function- heat hot water. Tankless water heaters on the other hand would be considered an upgrade and a smart appliance that can perform multiple functions.
Let's dig in into tank water heaters:
A standard tank type water heater whether being electric or gas stores hot water at a desired temperature to be used when needed. These tank type water heaters continually heat the stored water as the temperature decreases even if there is no demand. The average storage capacity ranges from 30 -80 gallons and can take up to an hour to recover to a satisfactory temperature once depleted. These units continually heat water to a desired temperature regardless of demand. This make's the efficiency of these units rather low. Not to mention when they go bad it is often a tank rupture with a large mess. Expected life span on tank type water heaters ranges from 7-10 years with average installation costs nearly doubling since supply chain problems occurred.
Let's dig into Tankless water heaters:
Tankless water heaters deliver hot water at a desired temperature for as long as the demand is needed, layman's terms - hot shower forever. Most models come with a recirculation pump to speed up the delivery of hot water. Physical size of the tankless water heaters is like a large suitcase. The Btu load, meaning the amount of gas they use, is much higher than a tank type water heater. Tankless water heaters use a modulating gas valve to differentiate between high and low flow. For example, a shower using 2.5gpm of water requires more energy than a bath sink faucet using 1gpm. The modulating gas valve heats water to a temperature for the given flow and saves you money. Efficiency is generally 96% with an average life span of 15-20 years. Installation costs have stayed constant even through the supply chain problems.
Our Conclusion: When a standard unit is replaced with an upgraded unit and now becomes the new standard, yes, it is better! And with efficiency comes savings!
Call us today at 309-212-7681 or schedule online @ Americasplumbing.net
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