A Natural Gas Tankless Water Heater Can Be Economical to Use In the Long Run
When you purchase a tankless water heater, you are doing your bit for the environment, while at the same time effecting savings in money. A natural gas tankless water heater is at least forty percent more efficient than heaters that have tanks. You can also ensure a high flow of water with these heaters that use natural gas as fuel, to create the required heat to give you water of the desired temperature.
A gas model water heater can give you a lot of flowing hot water and is therefore of great use when you want to have a bath, a long shower, or even do loads of laundry. Tankless gas water heaters can be large in size, and you will have to look at the space you have available before you decide on its installation. They are better installed in lofts, basements and other places where you have plenty of room. The large size is often necessary when you have to also consider devices or storage needed for the natural gas that is being used for the heater. This large size can also add to the cost of installation. A natural gas tankless water heater is ideal for large families, and where you have a number of outlets in your plumbing system that can require hot water simultaneously.
These water heaters are also called instant water heaters, as they will heat the water only when it is needed. Make sure that you have a source for the natural gas before you buy this heater and that you will be assured of a steady and adequate supply of the natural gas. These heaters have a life expectancy of 20 years and make for a one-time investment that can greatly add to the comfort of living in your home. As the installed unit will operate only when there is a need for hot water, energy costs get reduced by 25 percent, and this can lead to substantial savings, in the long run, that can make up for the high initial cost. Storage tank heaters have an efficiency that is below 70 percent, while with some tankless heaters, efficiency can be as high as 95 percent. The efficiency of a heater is the calorific value of the water compared to the calorific value of the gas burnt. These water heaters can deliver hot water for long periods of time, while in the case of storage heaters, this capacity will be restricted by the size of the tank.
The best natural gas tankless water heater will give you hot water at a constant temperature, while in the case of storage tanks, cold water keeps getting added to the tank, as the hot water is drawn out, thus reducing the temperature of the water. You need to have a proper size of the heater if you want to have hot water at the preset temperature and need 2 to 5 gallons of water per minute. These heaters can be easily mounted on walls, and will thus not occupy any floor space, though you may have to consider things like headroom or space to move within a bathroom if that is where it is installed.
Tankless water heaters can be expensive, but you can read about the 8 best tankless water heaters to learn which one might be best for your home. The installation will need to be added to the cost of the unit itself. Retrofitting a tankless heater into your home can lead to changing the existing piping and can add to the expense. Hot water from tankless heaters may also take a little time before it is available, and this may not be advisable for short uses like the washing of hands. Temperatures of hot water obtained in these heaters can be adjusted according to your family needs.