If you need to replace your existing water heater or just buy a new one, you’ve probably looked into tankless water heating. The name itself implies an obvious advantage, and there are other important benefits that go with tankless technology.
Going tankless is a big decision, though, which is just one of the reasons you need to call on 128 Plumbing to help. Specifically, we can help you evaluate the technology, then weigh it against your home and your water heating needs. We’re experts at recommending brands and doing the installation, which is one of the biggest steps in the whole tankless process.
The Tankless Water Heater Tradeoffs
While the tankless part of these water heaters is the most obvious advantage, there are others. Because they heat water only as much water as you need, they’re more energy efficient, which automatically means your utility bills will be lower.
You’ll use an average of about 25-50 percent less energy, and tankless heaters can service every spot in your home where you need water.
They’ll also last longer. Regular water heaters typically last 5-10 years, but you can double that and then some with a tankless heater. Think 20 years on average, so when it comes to longevity its a great investment.
And many of the major brands are warrantied for at least five years, with some going over ten, so you’ll be protected for a long time, and we know how to keep you under warranty when it comes to both the installation and any repairs that you may need after that.
Another advantage of tankless water heaters is that they’re space savers. They’re smaller, so they’ll take up less room in your basement. In addition, they’ll give you a constant supply of hot water, and you won’t have to do nearly as much ongoing maintenance with a tankless water heater as you would with one of its regular counterparts.
There are also some tradeoffs you need to be aware of, though. You’ll have to wait a little longer to get hot water, and the temperature of that water can be inconsistent. You’ll also have to go without water when the power’s out, and tankless hot water tends to be an all-or-nothing affair with regard to water pressure that makes it tough to get lukewarm water.
The Installation Cost Issue
Now let’s take about one of the biggest perceived downsides—the installation cost. It prevents a lot of people from going tankless, but many of them are misinformed or simply don’t know enough about the decision they’re making.
If you go with 128 Plumbing, that won’t happen. If we guide you through the process and do the installation, you’ll get all the important information you need to make the right decision.
One of the common myths about installing tankless water heaters is that it it’s automatically expensive, which may not be true at all.
For starters, there’s a wide range of prices and possibilities. Prices for the heaters themselves start at just over $500, but there are a lot of issues that come into play, including the size of your home, where you’ll need hot water, the condition of the existing plumbing, and so on.
The national average cost for installation is approximately $2,800, and that cost can go up as high as $4,500, depending on the heater you select. Once again, though, there are a lot of variables that help determine the specific number.
While that might sound expensive, that might not be the case, either. Installing a tankless water heater is one of those additions where you wind up paying a lot on the front end, then making up for the initial expense as time goes on as your energy bills go down and the durability of tankless water heaters begins to come into play.
At 128 Plumbing, we can help you analyze the cost factors that you need to include in the installation. We’ve been installing tankless water heaters for decades—they were invented back in 1929, but the technology to make them work really didn’t start to surface until the 1970s, so we’ve been involved almost with tankless tech from the very beginning.
Given the range of cost factors and issue that are involved, you owe it to yourself to allow 128 Plumbing to guide you through the installation process. We’ve installed all the major brands, including American Standard, Rheem, Navien, Rinnai and Noritz, among others.
Other Tankless Installation Issues
Finally, let’s talk about some of the things that have to be done to ensure a smooth installation. In the process, you’ll see why 128 Plumbing is such a perfect choice for this job.
Start with plumbing and the permit process. Part of the installation cost is about the need to modify or insulate pipes to accommodate the tankless format, and our plumbers have extensive experience with that part of the job.
If you’re going with a natural gas system for your tankless water heater, you may have to upgrade your gas supply line to a larger diameter, and both natural gas tankless water heater and their electrical counterparts will require a dedicated electrical outlet.
We can call in an electrician to help with that part, and that electrician will know every step to keep both that outlet and your entire electrical system up to code both during and after the installation.
Our HVAC techs can also help install the new gas vents you’ll need for your new tankless heater, as the existing vents can’t be used with these kinds of systems.
They know the difference between installing power vents and putting in direct vents that draw in outdoor air through a ducts, which is yet another issue that some with this kind of installation.
Condensing vs non condensing is yet another issue that comes into play in a tankless installation. The non condensing models use a heat exchanger to vent heated air so that it goes outdoors, and they have an efficiency rating of 80 percent.
With a condensing model, that number goes up to 90 percent, and our HVAC techs and plumbers can tell you which is best and install your choice properly.
The 128 Plumbing Savings Factor
When you call us to start the installation process for your tankless water heater, you’ll also find out about the money we can save you. Many installations are eligible for savings under the Mass Save program, and you can often get both state and federal tax credits.
To find out more about whether tankless is right for you, give us a call. You can reach us toll free at (888) 419-4233, or you can also call us at (781) 670 3261.
In addition, you can go to 128Plumbing.com and start a live chat, and we have some great blogs and articles there to help educate you about tankless water heaters, how they work and whether they can save you money.
