Do Tankless Water Heaters Save Money?

You may have heard or read something recently that mentioned tankless water heaters as an energy efficient “green” alternative to the traditional tank heaters. Tankless water heaters are often advertised as being more energy efficient and a good way to save money each month on energy bills. So, do tankless water heaters really save money?

There is much conflicting information on the subject and it’s very important to read the fine print when it comes to making a decision about which type of water heater is best for your purposes. Is your main goal to use less energy or to save money?

The simple answer is that it is unlikely that a tankless water heater will save you money when you consider all the costs involved. However they may run more efficiently, though even that is not guaranteed, and depends on how they are used.

The initial cost to buy and install tankless water heaters can be up to three times the cost of traditional tank water heaters, and they require regular yearly maintenance unlike traditional tank heaters.

Tankless water heaters have many moving parts and electronic components making them more prone to needing repair as well, so even if they do save money each month on heating bills, it is unlikely that you will ever recoup your costs to buy, install and maintain a tankless water heater.

Depending on individual use, a tankless heater may save up to 20% on electricity or gas per month, however they can sometimes cost more to operate than a well insulated tank water heater. The best way to save money on hot water is to insulate the hot water pipes between the water heater and the fixtures to keep the heat from radiating away while the hot water is moving through the pipes.

There is a common misconception that tankless water heaters deliver instantaneous hot water but that is not the case unless the water heater is installed very close to the plumbing fixture being used. It takes the same amount of time for hot water to travel through the pipes with either type of water heater. Traditional tank heaters actually have hot water ready to go while the tankless heater has to turn on and start heating the water when it detects a demand, so in fact most tankless water heaters will take longer to deliver hot water than a traditional tank water heater.

Pros: Tankless water heaters can be more energy efficient, are compact and take up less space than a traditional tank water heater and can provide continuous hot water over a long period of time.

Cons: Tankless water heaters are more expensive and mechanically complicated than tank water heaters and are not able to deliver as much hot water simultaneously as a traditional tank water heater.

Each situation is different and there are many factors to weigh in determining which type of water heater is best for your purposes. Do tankless water heaters save money? The bottom line is you may be able to lower your monthly electric or gas bill with a tankless water heater, however it will take a long time to recoup your initial costs, and with regular maintenance costs, it’s unlikely you will save money when all costs are factored in.

For more information about the pros and cons as well as energy costs of tankless water heaters, please refer to the following article:

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/are-tankless-water-heaters-waste-money

The post Do Tankless Water Heaters Save Money? appeared first on McKee Homes Blog.


Keep up to date On Instagram

PREVIOUS
NEXT
McKee Homes very own Julie Russo at the Fayetteville HBA Inaugural for Professional Women in Construction!

McKee Homes is proud to have Women in Construction! We strive to support and empower these Women everyday and they truly make a difference to Team McKee.

McKee Homes thanks all women in construction for all of their hard work and making a difference to construction as a whole!
Join us next weekend on Saturday, March 16th for our St. Patricks Day Design Studio Event!

This event is happening at both our Wilmington and Raleigh Design Centers from 11am - 1pm

Take part in a Shamrock Scavenger Hunt and find your pot of gold in savings!!!

4208 Six Forks Rd, Raleigh NC
2164 Britton Rd. Suite 1 Leland, NC 

Can't wait to see you all there!
Join us this weekend!!! Saturday, February 10th at 11am!

Come out to our Raleigh and Wilmington Design Studios for our Valentines Event!

Explore and see what our design studio has to offer and design your dream home!

Enjoy Champagne and Sweets Bar!

Raleigh Design Studio: 
4208 Six Forks Road
Raleigh, NC 27605
(First Floor of Captrust Building)

Wilmington Design Studio:
2164 Britton Rd, Suite 1
Leland, NC 28451

See you there!
Today we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Last week Fayetteville HBA had a great Professional Women in Building event at Elliot Farms!

Thanks to everyone who came out to make it a great success!!!
#fayhba #faypwb
Some lovely Pics of our Furry residents at the Grand Opening of the Highridge Dog Park!

Check out our Quick Move-Ins! You and your furry friends can also enjoy this beautiful new dog park 

Highridge in Fuquay-Varina, NC!
Reach out to onlinesales@mckeehomesnc.com or 
(910) 672 -7491 and schedule a tour today!
Check out our Black Friday sale!

Only available November 25th-26th! Act now before it’s over!

Contact us for more information at onlinesales@mckeehomesnc.com or 910-672-7491!
Happy Veterans Day!

Thank you to all who have protected and served our country, we appreciate you!
Thanks to all those who came out to The Townes at Gateway Commons yesterday to tour our beautiful townhomes and enjoy Chicken Salad Chick with us!

Schedule a tour with us to view our "One of a Kind" Townhomes!
(910) 672-7491 or Onlinesales@mckeehomesnc.com
Happy Halloween from McKee Homes!

We hope everyone has a spooktacular and safe night trick or treating!