When it comes to managing commercial buildings, every opportunity to save money on operating costs should be treated like an important one. This is an especially important thing to remember when it comes time to expand to a new location. When installing amenities and appliances in a new building the instinct is to prioritize low up-front costs. However, there are many cases where limiting investments in new buildings early on will come back to haunt a business. Finding savings in the construction process is important, but companies must also be willing to find a balance between short-term savings and long-term benefits.

One example of a system that deserves a forward-thinking investment during construction is water heating. According to Energy Star, commercial facilities as diverse as hospitals, manufacturing plants and full-service restaurants can enjoy annual savings by improving the water heating technology on the premises. Businesses can take advantages of these savings from the start by investing in tankless water heaters when they break ground at a new location. 

Basic models require extra maintenance and care
Several complex components and mechanisms are needed to operate standard water heaters, speaking to the inefficiencies inherent to continuously heating a large tank of water. A long list of highly-specialized parts, from disposable anode rods to pressure relief valves, must be maintained and replaced regularly to prevent these appliances from sliding into inefficiency or exploding, warned Nationwide. The longer these issues go untreated, the less likely the appliance will ever regain its optimum efficiency.

Even when standard water heaters are taken care of properly, efficient service life for these models rarely extends past ten years. Unless you plan to close your expansion in less than a decade, going tankless instead may offer a more cost-effective solution.

Durable tankless models offer a sustainable alternative
Why would companies invest in traditional water heaters for their new facilities when more advanced, efficient options are available? Many businesses fail to recognize the additional long-term costs associated with maintaining a tank model, focusing only on the lower upfront costs associated with these models.

Tankless water heaters, however, are extremely efficient and capable of performing at optimum efficiency for up to twenty years. Two decades worth of efficient hot water delivery is hard to pass over, especially in commercial facilities where hot water points of use see regular activity on a daily basis.

Furthermore, tankless water heaters are not impacted by several of the routine efficiency issues that regularly plague traditional models. The removal of the bulkiest components allows tankless models to be installed nearly anywhere within the building. This flexibility goes a long way toward making water heating delivery across the facility significantly more efficient.

Multiple points of use call for a new water heating solution.

Compliance failures translate to preventable expenses
Specific compliance rules are set for commercial facilities where hot water is drawn in a sink or kitchen. Safety is the main concern in these situations. Scalding water can cause serious burns to unsuspecting clients and customers, especially seniors and kids who are more vulnerable to burns. As a result, there are very specific OSHA and ANSI guidelines detailing the necessary temperature control and hot water delivery mechanisms installed in commercial buildings.

In many instances, making sure a water heater meets federal safety requirements means attaching new equipment to your original water heater or investing in a more costly standard model heater. The mixing and matching of technology results in a less efficient system and more opportunities for a costly maintenance schedule in the future. High-performance tankless models, on the other hand, often come out of the box with compliant heat controls integrated directly into the design.