3 Reasons to Switch to Tankless

At JK Mechanical, we’ve been providing smart comfort solutions for homes, businesses, churches, and more since 1979. For many large commercial applications that use boilers or geothermal heat pumps for heating, that system also provides “free” hot water for the facility. However, for many facilities, multi-family buildings, residential new construction and more that use a traditional “tanked” water heater for their hot water needs, switching from a traditional to a tankless water can offer improved convenience and savings. Tankless water heaters (or on-demand water heaters) are appliances that heat water as it circulates through the device, rather than maintaining a storage tank of hot water.

Continue reading for three top reasons you should consider choosing a tankless water heater for your commercial, residential new construction, or multi-family facility:

They’re More Efficient—Without Compromising Convenience

For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24%–34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. Tankless water heaters eliminate the standby energy loss of maintaining a hot water tank, delivering significant savings during “off” times while easily meeting demand when needed. That efficiency translates directly into savings for the end occupant and help improve the overall energy efficiency and sustainability of the residence. Plus, since on-demand water heaters can work consistently as hot water is called for, you never run the risk of running out of hot water, no matter how many occupants are using it.

Recently, for a high-end three-condo construction project in Wyomissing, JK Plumbing manager Casey Blackwell recommended adding a tankless water heater for each unit. As the HVAC was supplied by electric heat pumps, there was no existing hot water to use. Therefore, tankless water heaters were the most cost-effective and efficient way to get hot water to all three properties without risking any of the residents running out of hot water. We have also installed tankless water heaters for non-residential sites such as churches and event spaces due to the highly varied daily occupancy schedule (in other words, being unused/nearly empty most of the week, and then experiencing high demand 1-2 days per week). Tankless water heaters allow all hot water needs to be met on the “on” days without wasting energy keeping water hot on “off” days.

They’re Space Savers

Anyone working in construction knows that it can sometimes be a fight to safely fit all the needed HVAC, plumbing, electrical, automation equipment and more into one small mechanical room. With a tankless water heater, it isn’t just the environmental footprint that’s small; tankless water heaters take up much less space in a basement or utility room. On average, a tankless water heater is one third the size of a traditional tanked water heater (about the size of a carry-on suitcase), and is typically wall-mounted to save even more space. If you are designing a smaller space, want to take advantage of more space in a basement or mechanical room, or are struggling to make room for all the necessary mechanical elements, a tankless water heater can be a great solution.

They Come with a Better Warranty (& Lifespan!)

Navien Tankless Water Heaters, JK Plumbing’s recommended brand, come standard with a 15-year warranty in residential applications and 8 years for commercial applications. In contrast, most traditional tanked water heaters are installed with a 6-year warranty for residential applications and less for commercial. In addition—largely due to the lack of a tank, which can develop leaks—the expected lifespan of a tankless water heater is much longer. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most tankless water heaters have a life expectancy of about 20 years, which is nearly double that of traditional tank water heaters, which only last 10- to 15 years.

 

Whether you are working in the residential or commercial market, a tankless water heater can be a cost-effective and efficient solution for all your hot water needs. Contact the JK Plumbing team today to learn more or to request your complimentary estimate.

 

 

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