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Tankless water heating technology outperforms conventional water heaters in many ways. First and foremost: no tank! The familiar storage tank has always been a weak link in water heating performance and efficiency. Water stored on “standby” cools and requires re-heating—a substantial energy drain. Also, because tank capacity is limited, so is the amount of hot water available at any given time.

A tankless system heats water on-demand only, utilizing no storage tank. In addition, the unit delivers hot water continuously as long as demand continues, so there’s no interruption while you wait for another tank to heat.

New tankless water heating systems are more adaptable and efficient than ever. Here are some of the newest tankless water heater technologies, features, and improvements incorporated in the latest units.

Simpler Installation

Cold and hot water piping in most existing homes is typically configured for a storage tank heater, which sometimes complicates the installation of tankless heaters.

New tankless models now feature water input and output connections on the top of the unit, duplicating fittings’ position and spacing on a storage tank heater. This makes direct replacement faster and more straightforward.

In addition, more new tankless units are engineered for use with 1/2-inch gas lines, which are the typical standard in residential construction.

Instant Hot Water

We’ve all been there, waiting for hot water by running cold water. Waiting for water to get hot wastes both water and time.

One of the newest on-demand water heater technologies is the recirculating pump. At least one major manufacturer of new tankless systems now incorporates a recirculating pump that continuously circulates freshly heated water into the supply line to the fixture while diverting cooled water back to the main water pipe. The result is instant hot water with no lag time when you open a faucet.

There are now even models that will predict how much hot water will be needed and will schedule water heating based on that schedule. This smart recirculation will ensure that energy is not wasted by running during off-times when hot water isn’t typically used.

Because the hot water is instantly available at your tap, you no longer need to waste water waiting for the hot water to arrive at your faucet.

Increased Service Life

The typical lifespan of a traditional tank water heater is 10 to 15 years. A study from the Department of Energy shows that a tankless unit can easily last 20 years. Additionally, tankless water heaters can extend their service life beyond 20 years by replacing a few key components.

More Affordable

Tankless water heaters have come down in price, and traditional tank water heaters have increased in price (primarily due to increased material costs). You can get a non-condensing tankless water heater for as low as $700 (not installed), which is around what a traditional water heater will run.

Condensing vs. Non-Condensing Tankless Water Heaters

Like traditional water heaters, many tankless water heaters use natural gas as the fuel source to heat the water. This method produces by-products like carbon monoxide and other gases. A non-condensing tankless water heater (and traditional ones) vents these gases out of your house.

A condensing unit captures these exhaust gases using condensation. The gases are then recycled into an additional heat exchanger and burned again to produce even more hot water. Tankless water heaters were already very efficient, but adding a second heat exchanger and capturing exhaust gases for a second round of heating increases the efficiency even further!

Lower Maintenance

One problem tankless water heaters had in the past was that maintenance was a little difficult. For optimum performance and efficiency, tankless heaters require annual maintenance to remove mineral deposits, known as “scale,” that accumulate in the heat exchanger. Isolation valves in new units now expedite maintenance and make descaling more effective.

Thinking about upgrading to the benefits of tankless water heating? Contact the professionals at Apollo Home for more information about the latest available technology. We install high-tech, energy-efficient tankless water heaters in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.