Even though water heaters have been around for over a century, tankless models have only been around for about five years. Many consumers think these are one of the best inventions ever, and others are sorry they ever got involved. Before making this major decision, check out some tankless water heater reviews.
The basic premise behind a hot water system is that the water is not forced to stay within a tank, being heated and reheated until it’s used. Many consumers switched to tankless units because they were convinced that they would save a small fortune if they stopped using the energy necessary to keep water hot in large quantities.
The tankless unit usually hangs on the wall and is about the size of your circuit breaker or fuse box. Water runs through it rather than being stored in it.
However, they aren’t terribly reliable and one of the major reasons they haven’t completely caught on with the general public is simply their lack of immediate efficiency. All too frequently just getting into the shower can become a nerve racking experience because the hot water is not constant. You may no sooner wet you hair and lather up, and voila! ‘ no more hot water. If you wait it out, you might be waiting a few minutes for it to start up again.
These problems not only occur in the shower, they also occur in all appliances that need water. For instance, you may be washing your dishes in the dishwasher with ice cold water and you don’t even know it! The same problem occurs with your washing machine. You may have put on a load of whites, which need hot water, yet the tub is completely full before even warm water starts coming out.
If you are considering going tankless, keep your old heater as well. You may be going back to it!