A tankless water heater is a convenient way to offer hot water to your home. It heats water on demand & eliminates the need to store a large amount of water in a traditional tank-style water heater. With a tankless water heater, you can save money on energy costs, enjoy an endless hot water supply, and benefit from a more eco-friendly home. How does a tankless water heater work?
Tankless water heaters utilize an electric element/gas burner to warm water as it travels through a pipe & into the unit. This delivers a near-endless supply of hot water & offers instantaneous comfort and convenience.
So, how does a tankless water heater work? Read on to find out more.
How Does A Tankless Water Heater Work?
Now. let us see how does a tankless water heater work. Tankless water heaters utilize electricity or gas to heat cold water once it enters the unit. If the tankless water heater is energized by gas, water gets heated using a gas burner. On the other hand, if the heater is energized by electricity, water gets heated using electrical resistance heating coils.
For tankless water heater owners, it means an ample hot water supply at around 2-5 gallons per minute.
Step-by-Step On How Does A Tankless Water Heater Work
Here is a step-step process on how does a tankless water heater work:
1. Tankless water heaters heats water directly
Traditional water heaters have a water tank to store hot water for emergencies. Cold water flows through the tankless heater when a hot tap turns on. On its way, the unit receives heat from either a gas burner or an electric heating coil. It then comes out of the tap in the house.
In addition to the electrical efficiency, one of the biggest gains of a tankless water heater is its size. A tankless heater is easily mounted to a wall. It provides homeowners space and an option to hide a tankless heater more quickly than a storage tank.
2. Tankless water heaters offer a constant flow of hot water (2-5 gallons per minute)
Water heaters with storage tanks offer hot water until the water tank is empty. Your home can have a stable flow of hot water at 2-5 gallons/minute with a tankless water heater. Some gas-powered tankless heaters offer even higher flows of water than electric ones.
On average, this sounds like less water per minute than a storage tank heater. However, storage tank heaters run out of hot water when multiple sources use it simultaneously.
Tankless water heaters offer a steady rate of hot water. But, if hot water is simultaneously needed throughout the house, problems can arise for some homeowners. For instance, if someone is running the dishwasher and the other is taking a shower simultaneously, the water will come out at less pressure, or the water may not be hot.
Therefore, some homeowners with large houses install two or more tankless water heaters. Some also install separate heaters for different appliances.
3. The panel adjusts the gas valve, the water flow & the mixing valve to achieve the desired temperature setting
Panels can control the amount of electricity for electric tankless heaters. Most tankless water heaters come with a front-facing panel that allows users to control their settings. You can adjust the gas valve to how much you’d like to use. This way, homeowners can manage their water, electric, or gas bills.
In addition, the tankless water heater panel allows some personalized settings, such as the mixing valve & the amount of water flow. When installing a tankless water heater, homeowners should discuss with the plumber to set it according to their preferences.
Please note: If homeowners have a different reason for the shift, they should avoid drastically changing their settings.
Now, as you know how does a tankless water heater work, let us see the problems with tankless water heater.
Common problems with tankless water heaters include system overload, blockages, & ignition failure.
Tankless water heaters are praised for their overall efficiency and need less maintenance than storage tank water heaters. However, it can overload the unit if homeowners use many hot water applications at once. Then, the system will struggle to supply hot water & might also shut down altogether. But you can avoid this issue with preventive practices.
If a tankless water heater’s air supply gets blocked, it can also have issues. When this happens, the heater faces problems venting, which can cause overload. Solving this problem is necessary because it can become a fire hazard.
Another common issue is when the tankless heater fails to ignite. This occurs when heaters running on gas have problems with their gas supply. Homeowners should always check that their gas & water valves are partially open.
4. Regular maintenance keeps water flowing & removes mineral buildup
Tankless water heater faces the problem of mineral buildup. The heat causes calcium & magnesium to create a buildup, impairing the water heater’s function. Minerals build up inside the water heater over time.
Homeowners should monitor their water daily. Check the consistency of the water, as well as check & change the water filter. If a water filter is not regularly maintained, it can affect the system’s lifespan.
Call a professional if you’re experiencing persistent problems with a tankless water heater.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) On How Does A Tankless Water Heater Work
1. What is the disadvantage of a tankless water heater?
If you want more hot water than the tankless water heater unit can generate or if you run the shower, and washing machine at the same time, then the temperature of the water will fluctuate. Also, the water will not be hot.
2. What are the most common problems with tankless water heaters?
Here are the most common problems with tankless water heaters:
- System overload
- Air supply or exhaust blockage
- Flame failure
- Mineral buildup
- Cold water sandwich
- Ignition failure.
3. Can you run out of hot water with a tankless water heater?
A tankless water heater can’t run out of hot water. However, it can still be overwhelmed with demand. You can run that single shower and keep getting hot water. A single tap will never do this.
4. How long does it take to get hot water with a tankless water heater?
It takes 15 seconds to get hot water with a tankless heater. But you must wait for the hot water to come at your shower head or faucet.
Summary: How Does A Tankless Water Heater Work
Tankless water heaters utilize electricity or gas to heat cold water once it enters the unit. But, how does a tankless water heater work?
Cold water flows through the tankless heater when a hot water tap turns on. On its way, the unit receives heat from either a gas burner or an electric heating coil. It then gets out from the tap in the house.
Your home can have a steady flow of hot water at 2-5 gallons/minute with a tankless water heater. Some gas-powered tankless heaters offer even higher flows of water than electric ones.
Tankless water heaters need a lot of maintenance & are relatively easy to use. However, there can be problems with them despite routine maintenance. If you find issues regularly, contact a professional plumber who can quickly assess the issue & discuss the best solution.
I hope this article on how does a tankless water heater work sounds helpful!
Read More
How Long Does A Water Heater Take To Heat Up? Complete Guide
Understanding Tankless Water Heater Cost: What To Expect And How To Save Money
