Tankless water heaters can be considered green for several reasons. Here’s a breakdown of both the positives and negatives.
Advantages of Tankless Technology
Operated with either natural gas or electricity, a tankless water heater uses a fraction of the energy of a traditional water heating tank.
- Reduced energy consumption: Unlike traditional tank-style water heaters that constantly keep a large volume of water hot, even when not needed, tankless heaters only heat water on demand. This eliminates standby losses, potentially leading to significant energy savings, especially in households with low hot water usage.
- Lower carbon footprint: By using less energy, tankless heaters contribute to a smaller carbon footprint, reducing your environmental impact. This is particularly true for gas-powered models compared to electric storage heaters.
- Unlimited hot water supply: You won’t run out of hot water with a tankless heater, regardless of how many showers or hot water taps are running simultaneously. This can be a big advantage for larger families or homes.
- Longer lifespan: Tankless heaters generally last longer than traditional water heaters, further reducing their environmental impact and potentially offering cost savings over the long term.
How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?
Tankless water heaters use heating elements to warm the passage of water rather than storing a limited supply of warmed water like a traditional hot water heater.
Traditional hot water heaters keep a supply of hot water ready at all times. To do this, your water heater continuously uses energy to keep the water warm whether you need it or not.
Tankless water heats the water only when you demand it. With these smaller on demand devices, you start the warming process when you initiate the flow of water. Cool water passes through a heating element and warms to a desired temperature before continuing on to the hot water lines. Rather than constantly warming the water, the water is only heated when you need it, turning on a hot faucet or an appliance.
The tankless water heater recommended for your home depends on the type of energy source you have – natural gas, propane or electricity.
Overall Benefits
Tankless water heaters can be a greener option than traditional heaters, but it’s important to consider all the factors involved. They’re particularly beneficial in households with low hot water usage and access to high water pressure. However, their higher initial cost and potential maintenance needs should be weighed against the long-term energy savings and environmental benefits.
Here are some additional points to consider:
- Energy Star certified models are guaranteed to be more energy-efficient than non-certified models.
- The overall greenness of a tankless heater also depends on the energy source used (e.g., natural gas, propane, electricity).
- Consider your hot water usage habits and local water pressure before making a decision.
About Us
Our Green Plumbers offer energy saving tankless water heaters and plumbing solutions to residents and businesses in Boulder County, Broomfield County, Weld County, Adams County, Jefferson County, and Denver metro areas. Including cities of Boulder, Broomfield, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, Gunbarrel, Lyons, Mead, Nederland, Niwot, Superior, Dacono, Frederick, Firestone, Westminster, Thornton, Northglenn, Denver.
As an industry leader, we believe that it is important to offer green plumbing solutions to customers. Being responsible stewards of our vital resources we can make our communities better for future generations.
We are a locally owned and operated company serving Colorado since 1997! We are open 7 days a week! If you are looking to have water saving showerheads, and other plumbing fixtures installed, we’re here to help!
Every one of our plumbing technicians is experienced and trained in complete plumbing, drain, sewer, and water heater services. No overtime fees and free estimates. There is no charge for on-site estimates when needed.
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