How Does A Tankless Water Heater Work?

When most people think of a water heater, they think a big metal tank in their basement. But it doesn’t have to be.

Today, you can get a water heater that’s the size of a suitcase and can be mounted on a wall – a big advantage if you’re pressed for space. That same water heater can also cut your bills in half and give you virtually unlimited hot water.

So what’s the catch? There is none: you’ll get these benefits and more when you replace your conventional water heater with a propane tankless water heater.

How tankless water heating works

Wondering how a tankless water heater works? It’s pretty simple, really – and seamless to you at your tap or appliance:

• When you need hot water, you turn the faucet as you normally would
• The tankless unit draws cold water in for your house’s main water line, activating a high-powered heating element to instantly warm the water you need – and only the water you need – for the task at hand. That means water won’t sit in a storage tank losing heat while it waits to be used.
• The heating element will continue to warm the water until you close the hot water faucet, which also shuts the gas burner.

That’s it!

Tankless water heaters are extremely efficient, for two reasons: first, they never have to reheat water (as a water heater with a tank does after its water has been sitting for hours in a tank in your cold basement.) Tankless water heaters also use electronic ignitions rather than a constantly running pilot light, as some conventional water heaters do.

While tankless water heaters do cost more up front, they can cut energy consumption by as much as 50 percent compared to conventional water heaters – all while lasting almost twice as long as a conventional water heater (about 18 years on average, compared to 10 for systems with a tank) and delivering unlimited hot water on demand.

Want to explore propane water heater options for your NC home? Now could be the perfect time: you may qualify for a $100 rebate from Rinnai when you call James O2 to install a tankless water heater in central North Carolina! Contact us today to learn more.