How Does a Tankless Water Heater Work?

When most people think of a water heater, they think of a big metal tank in their basement. But it doesn’t have to be.

Today, you can get a water heater that’s the size of a suitcase and can be mounted on a wall – a big advantage if you’re pressed for space. That same water heater can also cut your bills by 30 percent or more and give you virtually unlimited hot water, with no run-outs.

Sound too good to be true? That’s exactly what you’ll get with a tankless water heater that runs on natural gas or propane.

Here’s how it works:

• When you need hot water, you turn the faucet as you normally would.
• The tankless unit draws cold water in, activating a high-powered heating element to instantly warm the water you need – and only the water you need – for the task at hand. That means water won’t sit in a storage tank losing heat while it waits to be used.
• The heating element will continue to warm the water until you close the hot water faucet, which also shuts the gas burner.

That’s it!

Tankless water heaters are extremely efficient for two reasons: first, they never have to reheat water (as a water heater with a tank does after its water has been sitting for hours in a tank in your cold basement.) Tankless water heaters also use electronic ignitions rather than a constantly running pilot light, as some conventional water heaters do.

While tankless water heaters do cost more up front, they can cut energy consumption by 30 percent or more and typically last almost twice as long as a conventional water heater (almost 20 years on average, compared to 12 for tanked systems) – all while delivering unlimited hot water on demand.

Want to explore propane water heater options (including indirect water heaters) for your Pennsylvania home? Contact us today!