Green and sustainable living involves a variety of different things, including recycling, conserving energy and water, growing your own food, carpooling and saving on gas emissions, and many other aspects. Another thing is the way you heat your water. Tankless water heaters provide many benefits, both as a greener household and reduced carbon footprint, and in saving a significant amount of money on your energy bill each month.
The High Cost of Heating Water
Your water heater, if it is a standard one, is practically draining energy at all times. Every minute, 40-80 gallons of water are being heated to at least 120 degrees. This is at all times, day and night. The cost of it is significant, not to mention how bad it is for the environment to have it soaking up energy all the time. Approximately 13 percent of your monthly utility bill is from the water heater alone. A tankless water heater costs less and is more energy efficient.
What are Tankless Water Heaters?
The only function of a tankless water heater is to provide you with hot water only when you need it. Unlike standard water heaters which are constantly running and heating up water, the tankless water heater isn't keeping a supply of hot water in the tank. You will turn on your hot water tap and wait for the hot water to flow through the tap. You also won't run out of hot water in the middle of a shower like with a standard water heater since it isn't running on 'saved' hot water. Once your tap is turned off, the tankless water heater turns off and doesn't use any more energy until the hot tap is turned on again.
Benefits of Tankless Water Heaters
There are two primary benefits to tankless water heaters: being environmentally friendly and saving you money. Since the average home uses about 40 gallons of hot water a day, you're saving about 30% of energy by using a tankless water heater. Your energy can be as high as 50% just by getting the tankless water heater. Though it is an investment when you first get it installed, you will make up the difference quickly. Keep in mind you can also reduce your carbon footprint by going tankless, you won't 'run out' of hot water and it requires less maintenance than standard units.
Getting a Tankless Water Heater
When you decide to get a tankless water heater, keep in mind it will be more expensive than a standard one, but require less maintenance to further add to the savings. Make sure you find a unit fitting your needs and do some research before choosing a specific water heater. Also, keep in mind you will have some installation costs to contend with when you first get the water heater.
If you are interested in tankless water heaters as a green option for your home, contact your local HVAC dealer.