New Video Explains Why Tankless Water Heaters Are Better

A new video produced by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and available on this Web site goes under the hood of a propane tankless water heater to explain how it delivers energy efficiency and superior performance compared to storage heaters.

As the name suggests, the key feature of a tankless heater is the absence of a storage tank. A typical residential water heater's 40-gallon tank requires a constant supply of energy to keep the water inside at the desired temperature. By eliminating the tank, the standby energy demand — and the associated cost — is also eliminated.

Tankless water heaters can also outperform storage water heaters during heavy usage—a likely scenario in high-end homes with multiple spa baths, surround showers, and fabric-care centers. A storage tank can only deliver as much water as it has on hand, after which it must slowly heat more water. During this recovery time, no hot water is available for use; with a tankless heater, there is no such supply limit.

The video also points out that the compact footprint of tankless units allows flexibility of placement within (or outside) the home. Installation of the unit closer to points of demand minimizes the time it takes to deliver hot water to the tap — a better experience for the homeowner. The bulky size of a tank-type water heater does not allow for such flexibility.

The video concludes by reminding builders about the reduced greenhouse gas emissions — important for third-party green certification — and available tax incentives that tankless propane water heaters allow them to claim.

To watch the video, click here.

New Video Explains Why Tankless Water Heaters Are Better