What is a Tankless Water Heater?

Have you heard about tankless water heaters? More and more homeowners are considering the switch from the traditional “tank-style” water heaters towards the efficient solution of tankless water heating. In this blog, we’ll dive into exactly what this incredible water heating technology is!

How A Tankless Water Heater Works

Tankless water heaters are just as the name suggests! They don’t have a tank, and they don’t store water like your traditional 50-gallon water heater. Simply put, they produce hot water when a hot water tap is opened (like a faucet, or your shower).

Once a hot water tap is opened, cold water is pulled through a flow switch in the tankless unit. This ignites a burner and heaters the water as it travels through the tankless system. Then, the hot water travels to the opened tap! Once the tap is turned off, the flow switch deactivates and turns off the burner.

This means no need to store hot water in a tank. Tank-style water heaters use a lot of energy to continuously heat water, and there is a limited supply of water in the tank. Tankless water heaters address these issues and are a big improvement in design for hot water needs.

Types of Tankless Water Heaters

There are two primary types of tankless water heaters to consider: condensing and non-condensing. Let’s take a look!

Condensing Tankless Water Heaters

Condensing tankless water heaters are the most common type of tankless water heater. They’re also the most efficient! These units include a second heat exchanger that uses the heat from the exhaust gas to preheat incoming cold water.

This technology increases the hot water flow rate, improves energy , and lowers the exhaust gas temperature. Because water vapor condenses inside the unit as the exhaust gas cools, condensing tankless water heaters do require a drain (and sometimes a pH neutralizer) to dispose of the condensation.

In short, condensing tankless water heaters offer all the bells and whistles. These are great replacement options for power vent or direct power vent water heaters, because the intake and exhaust needed is already in place.

Non-Condensing Tankless Water Heaters

Non-condensing tankless water heaters have a single heart exchanger, and don’t recycle the heat from the exhaust gas like their condensing counterparts. Because the exhaust gas is very hot when it leaves the unit, metal concentric venting is required.

However, no drain is required as non-condensing tankless water heaters don’t reuse heat from the exhaust. These units are great replacement options for direct vent storage tanks and/or for those who want a tankless water heater without breaking the bank.

Your Tankless Water Heater Experts

No matter what type of tankless water heater you want for your home, you can trust the expertise of our team at ProMax Water Heaters & Plumbing. We’ll help you select the best option for your hot water needs! We’re also a Navien Services Specialist (NSS), which means we are factory trained and certified to install and repair Navien tankless water heaters.

For more information about tankless water heaters in Bellevue, WA, and the surrounding areas, simply reach out to us today!

Related articles:

• Should I Have a Tankless Water Heater Installed?
• Ways to Care for your Water Heater