Ottawa HVAC Specialists Help You Decide if this Hot Commodity is Right for Your Home
Hot water may not be something you give a lot of thought to—that is, until it’s not available. Everything from your morning shower to washing the dishes and more can suddenly become much more of a struggle without your steady stream of just-right hot water. When your water supply starts giving you the cold shoulder, it’s time to consult your local Ottawa HVAC specialists about getting a new heater.
To Tank or Not to Tank?
The traditional water heating system relies on a tank full of hot water, which sits around waiting to be used. While modern units can refill and reheat this supply quite quickly, there’s still one issue—you are essentially paying to heat still water that’s not being used, and to keep it hot. And no tank is perfect, meaning that heat still escapes. This is why the tankless water heater has become a popular option for many homeowners: it heats water as it is needed, reducing the energy expended on heating standby water.
More Tankless Benefits
With a tank, you need plenty of room to accommodate it, and it can leak—leading to all kinds of trouble. A tankless model takes up virtually no space at all—small and slim as a desktop computer, an Ottawa HVAC installer can affix it to a wall where it will remain out of the way. And because a tankless water heater works on-demand, the risk of leakage from the unit is next to non-existent.
If that’s not enough, these units typically have a much longer life span—compared to a tank’s 10 years, some may last as many as 20 years without need for replacement. Many models also feature the ability to set a heat limit using a digital controller. This means you can set a safe limit, and never worry about scalding or burning yourself again. This particular safety feature is great for families with children who are just learning to use the sink to wash their own hands and brush their own teeth.
Drawbacks
An immutable law of the universe is that there is no perfect system, and even these units have their disadvantages. For starters, they are considerably more expensive than a tank unit—gas-powered models start at $1,000 and go from there. This can be balanced by the energy savings, however. Also, most tankless units have a limit as to how much hot water they can produce per minute, while a new tank may provide a more limitless supply. But, the only time that this truly becomes a major issue is in larger households where several people may be showering simultaneously, or running a dishwasher while someone else runs a shower.
If you think that a tankless water heater is right for your home, contact your Ottawa HVAC specialist today, and never be left out in the cold again!
