Upgrading your home from a conventional tank-style model to a tankless water heating system can transform your residence. Tankless water heaters are becoming popular among homeowners due to their compact size, energy efficiency, and capacity for on-demand hot water. Despite these many benefits, converting from a traditional tank model to a tankless system takes several steps. Knowing the detailed breakdown of this process gets you ready for a smooth transition.
Determining Your Household Hot Water Needs
Before you switch water heaters, you need to assess how much hot water your household needs. Tankless water heaters work differently than traditional tanks. Tankless models heat water as it is needed instead of storing it in a heated reservoir. Whereas a tank water heater might have its capacity measured in storage gallons, a tankless water heater has its capacity measured in gallons per minute (GPM), which represents the flow rate.
You should consider three things to pick the right model for your home. This includes simultaneous usage, incoming water temperature, and professional calculations. First, estimate the amount of hot water your household needs at peak times. For example, if you need to run a 1.5-GPM dishwasher and a 2.5-GPM shower at the same time, you need a minimum capacity of 4 GPM. Second, tankless water heater efficiency relies on the incoming water temperature. Cold climates mean your water heater needs more power to be effective. Third, consulting an industry professional means you have an expert who can verify your assessment and calculations. They can help you determine what model of tankless water heater you need.
Knowing the Installation Requirements
There’s more to the installation of a tankless water heater than just swapping the older unit out. A tankless model works differently, so modifications to your house’s infrastructure frequently prove necessary. They might include plumbing adjustments, upgrades to your electrical system or gas line, and ventilation modifications. Many tankless models need different piping configurations compared to traditional water heaters. You may have to hire a plumber to reroute or upgrade the plumbing in your home to accommodate the system being installed. In some areas, local building codes require a pressure relief valve to be added.
Tankless water heaters can be electric or gas. Depending on your current energy infrastructure, you might need to upgrade it. Electric tankless systems typically require a higher power load, which can mean you need upgraded wiring and a new circuit breaker to handle the new unit’s requirements.
Likewise, tankless gas water heating systems commonly need a higher rate of gas flow than their tank counterparts. Your home might need a larger gas line than it currently has, or you may need to install one if there isn’t one already in place. Gas-powered tankless systems also need proper ventilation. Exhaust gases need to be expelled safely out of your home. A new venting system is something you can have installed, but it does add to the overall installation costs. Certain units vent vertically through the roof of a home, but others utilize direct venting via an exterior wall.
Tank Removal
Once all the necessary preparations are done, your old tank will be removed. Our plumbers working on this project will shut the water supply off before draining the tank. Then, they’ll disconnect the necessary plumbing and gas or electrical connections before safely removing the old unit and disposing of it properly. The removal and disposal of the old tank and its parts are typically included as part of a professional installation service, but it’s worth asking if this is included to be sure.
Tankless Water Heater Installation
While a tankless model can take less space and be more energy efficient than a tank system, the installation process is more complicated. It starts with mounting the unit. One of the benefits of a tankless system is the wall-mounted nature and compact size that frees up floor space in your home’s utility area. Your installation crew will securely attach the unit to a suitable part of your home, typically an interior or exterior wall. They’ll also connect your tankless water heater to the plumbing and gas or electrical systems of your home. Electric units need wiring to an adequate electrical panel, and gas units might include testing gas pressure and flow rates.
Once the installation is physically complete, testing is necessary to confirm proper operation. This includes confirming the proper temperature and flow rate for the hot water in all systems. Gas models need to be checked for safe combustion and proper venting; electric models must be tested for appropriate power supply.
Adjusting to Your New Tankless System
Living with a tankless water heating system can be a learning curve for your household. The first thing you’ll need to get accustomed to is on-demand heating instead of pre-heated water being stored in a tank. Tankless systems heat water when it flows through the unit. You won’t have to worry about hot water running out before your shower is over, but there might be a momentary delay before the hot water starts coming out of your fixtures. Since a tankless system doesn’t keep a reservoir of heated water going all the time, there isn’t any standby heat loss. This kind of energy efficiency might reduce your utility bills each month.
Tankless water heating systems do need regular maintenance to maintain efficient levels of operation. Annual descaling can remove mineral accumulations from hard water that impact performance, and routine water filter checks let you know when it needs to be cleaned to prevent clogs and keep flow optimal. Professional inspections and maintenance should include looking at ventilation, burners, and general equipment condition.
Tankless water heating systems frequently cost more initially than traditional tanks, and infrastructure upgrades factor into this greatly. However, long-term savings are possible through lower energy consumption and longer lifespans that reduce replacement costs.
Making the Change
Converting your home from a traditional tank water heater to a tankless model is a potentially substantial upgrade that brings a multitude of benefits to your residence. These include an endless source of hot water, the ability to save precious space, and enhanced energy efficiency. The process entails meticulous planning and possible modifications to the infrastructure of your home, but the long-term advantages make this investment worth it in many cases. When you understand what you should expect throughout the conversion process, you can approach the situation with peace of mind and confidence. Your household can go through a seamless transition, starting with an assessment of your home’s water heating needs all the way through the installation and maintenance of your new tankless water heater.
Davis & Green serves residential and commercial clients in Richmond, VA, and the surrounding areas. We proudly offer electrical, generator, HVAC, and handyman services in addition to our full range of plumbing services such as drain and pipe repair.
Contact Davis & Green when you want to upgrade your home from a tank water heater to a tankless model.
