Why Are Tankless Water Heaters So Costly?

Tankless installations have pick up in the last couple of years. I know from my own experience, I didn’t really understand the basic difference between tank and tankless at first. But to avoid disappoints, or maybe I should say, be prepared for adjustments, this is something that the family needs to talk about. My family now understands - tankless isn’t bad, it’s just different.

For most, taking a shower or any use of hot water means that there is plenty of hot water until the tank runs out. It all depends on the size of the tank. For a tankless home hot water heater use depends on the outside ground temperature. In the summer you may have enough capacity to take care of the family routine but come winter…

If everyone in the family understands this then there is enough water for everyone; the water is there, just not all at once. All this happens because a tankless heater is called upon to heat water from very cold to very hot in a matter of seconds. The greater the difference between these two temperatures the greater the reduction of flow at the faucet.

Talk it over. There are ways to have enough hot water with a smaller unit by making some adjustments in family habits. Having back-to-back showers can mean a less expensive unit. Doing laundry and dishes at night may also save on utility rates. Installing a small point-of-use model can be cost effective. There are other ways to trim that initial cost and make an on-demand water heater more economical.

Can We Make Tankless Water Heaters Green?

If America isn’t awake, it soon will be as the US Congress gears up for the coming energy legislation. The President has said he wants this legislation enacted as soon as possible and every group that has an interest is lining up to try to influence the outcome.

The stakes are high and the outcome will impact every corner of our life, from switching on the AC to hot showers. And so we wait to see the effect it can have on the environment, the country and the homeowner.

The estimated cost to the energy industry for carbon emissions will be $646 billion through 2019, according to Energy Bulletin’s Marianne Lavelle. This is money that will flow into the US Treasury and perhaps used to fund green energy projects.

The industries with a stake in this have already reacted by hiring more lobbyists to try to shape this legislation to their advantage. Figures from the Center for Public Integrity estimates that there are now 2,300 lobbyists employed in this attempt - more than four for every member of Congress.

Energy efficient appliances that run on electricity, like tankless water heaters and heat pumps, would benefit from green technology using clean energy as well as better efficiency.

Support for the small startup companies will pay off because that is were the new ideas are usually born. The amount of Government programs that encourage the development of new technology can be the deciding factor in how quickly this happens.

If the idea to be 100 percent carbon free electric in 10 years is real then flipping a light switch or turning on the hot water will be the dawn of power from a new breed of energy. Then on-demand hot water heaters will be truly green - saving through their energy efficiency as well as by using clean energy.