- Their present water heater has died and they have to replace immediately.
- Their present water heater doesn't meet the hot water needs of the home and they are seeking answers to that problem.
- They live in an area with hard water and are concerned about the decline and remaining life span of their existing hot water heater.
- They are aware of the reduced tax benefits in 2011 vs. 2010 and want to make the changeover to the tankless unit while some tax credits remain.
- Water Heater Has Died
If your present hot water heater has died, it can be replaced with a tankless unit or a traditional tank unit in a single day (link to video), but it is important to evaluate the hardness level of your water if the unit was significantly less then ten years old. According to the U.S, Department of Energy (link to department of energy), the traditional tank water heaters should last about ten years, but this life span can be reduced by the build up of minerals such as calcium and lime (present in "hard" water, and easily tested for) inside the tank. A traditional tank system with a build up of minerals inside will take longer to heat because the minerals that take up the physical space inside the heater are much harder to heat then the reduced amount of actual water left to dispense for the home's needs. That reduced amount of water runs out more quickly, and the cycle has to start all over again. The water heater is working too hard and the system wears itself out prematurely.
If the reason your electric or gas hot water heater has failed is because hard water has caused the build up of calcium and lime inside our tank, you will want to evaluate the cost of installing a system such as an H2 Flow or a _________________ (link to these) to eliminate these minerals from the system you choose to replace the failed unit.
AtlantaTanklessWaterHeaters.Com can drain your present system and test your water to give you an accurate reading about the hardness of your water and the presence of mineral deposits and sediment feeding your home's plumbing. Link to youtube of John with the Douglasville water heater.
If there is excessive mineral and sediment in the system that has died it is very important for you to install a hard water mitigating system such as the __________________________ in order to preserve the life of the replacement system be that a tank or a tankless. Either unit can be installed in a single day by a licensed plumber. Costs range from about $685 to replace with a mid size traditional tank to about a net $1900 to replace with a mid size tankless unit after rebates, but it is advisable to calculate the three, five and ten year costs of the units as the initial costs do not correspond with operational and replacement costs.
- The Hot Water Runs Out
If your present water heater lacks the capacity to deliver the hot water your home demands you have a couple of things to consider.
- Is the hot water heater in decline and likely to burst flooding the surrounding area in the near future?
- Is the hot water heater just not accurately sized to meet the needs of our family?
- Is tankless the most cost effective option?
AtlantaTanklessWaterHeaters.Com can drain your system and test your water as referenced above. This will enable us to make a reasonable evaluation of the remaining life of your present system.
If you find yourself with growing children who used to have to be forced into a shower now taking several a day, you might find that the 40 or 50 gallon tank, or possibly an electric tank, that came with the original house you bought, reduced down in capacity over the life of the water heater, to simply be insufficient to meet your needs. You can upgrade to a larger traditional tank water heater, but once you start reconfiguring the plumbing lines to the larger water heater you're increasing the expense to a level where you're getting very close to the cost of the much more highly efficient and lower operational cost tankless unit. (See Section 3).
Many people confused tankless hot water heaters with "instant" hot water. Instant hot water, or some version of it, can be supplied by a recirculating pump (link here). The water from a tankless hot water heater still has to make it's way through the pipes up to the sink, shower, dishwasher or other source in use. The term "endless" hot water is accurate because there is no longer a large tank that needs to accumulate a reserve to heat and reheat when depleted, but rather a system that contiuously heats the hot water your home demands for as long as is needed.
- You Live in a Hard Water Area
There are telltale signs of hard water evident in your shower or sink which is a scaly buildup of scum. If your water tank is drained and there is a preponderance of sediment in it, you have a hard water issue. These high levels of mineral deposits cause costly breakdowns in water systems.
AtlantaTanklessWaterHeaters.Com can drain your system and test your water to give you a conclusive hardness level in about one hour for $89. The existing sediment with the hardness reading can be evaluated relative to the age of your water heater to make an assessment regarding the remaining life span of your present system.
- You Don't Want to Convert To Tankless After Rebates and Tax Credits Expire
If you have a moderate to high demand hot water need for your home, then depending on your usage, the cost of the tankless unit will be less then the traditional tank hot water heater. The U.S. Department of Energy calculates approximately 17-23% of your energy costs are used to heat and reheat the water in your traditional tank hot water heater. My energy costs are on the higher end and I have a single teenager in the house. In the most conservative estimate I will average $300 per month over the next twelve months in energy costs. Estimating $60 per month to heat and reheat my hot water sounds about right, but that's $720 per year. Over two years, if I save 90% of that figure with a tankless unit, I've saved about $1300. If I pay about $2500 for my tankless unit, get $600 in rebates from Georgia (link here) and Atlanta Gas & Light (link here), then the net cost of my tankless hot water heater is $1900. After two years the costs are a wash and I am paying $600 more per year for a tank unit that runs out when depleted.
While tankless water heaters are relatively new to the United States, they have been being used in Europe and Asia for decades. They have about a 25 year life span, as opposed to a traditional tank hot water heater coming in at less then half that. Assuming you are going to have to replace the tank at least once, more likely twice during the life span of the tankless, over the life of your home with respect to operational cost and resale value, the tankless water heater is far less costly then a traditional tank hot water heater.
- Which Unit is Right for Your Home
AtlantaTanklessWaterHeaters.Com is authorized to install Rheem, Rinnai and Noritz units, as well as all other major brands of traditional tank hot water heaters. By evaluating your water usage and energy bills, draining your present tank and testing your water, the licensed plumber can make a recommendation as to which unit will best suit your needs and your budget and get the right system for you installed in a single day.
