Home > Blog > Sustainability > Say good-bye to wasted energy and money with tankless water heaters
Who doesn’t want to save a little money?
Saving on your home’s utility bill takes a concerted effort. Everyone has to pitch in and change their behavior to conserve energy. Unfortunately, even the most energy-conscious among us slip up from time to time. Wouldn’t it be easier if the fixtures and appliances in our homes that use energy every day worked with us toward a more energy-efficient tomorrow?
Tankless water heaters do just that. And because as much as 18 percent of a home’s energy consumption comes from hot water use according to the U.S. Department of Energy, it’s possible to make a noticeable difference by investing in a new water heating system.
Let’s break down all the ways tankless water heating systems save homeowners money every time they turn on their taps.
So long standby heat loss
Traditional tanked water heaters have no idea when you’ll use hot water next. As such, these appliances are engineered to keep hot water at the ready. Because of their construction, however, heat escapes from the drum and surrounding distribution piping. Once hot water cools down, the heater kicks back on. This process happens again and again on an uninterrupted loop, reheating the same water and wasting energy around the clock.
How much water do these tanks hold? DOE estimates say anywhere between 20 to 80 gallons every single time depending on the size of the model. That’s a lot to repeatedly reheat.
Tankless heaters only heat the hot water you use, maximizing the energy you and your family consumes and reducing your monthly bills. And because these models are typically installed at the point of use, hot water won’t cool in the pipes either.
“Energy waste from tanked systems costs you more depending on the time of year.”
Sayonara peak energy premiums
Your water heater might decide to reheat water at any moment, perhaps even during the times when energy rates are more expensive than usual.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, residential natural gas demand traditionally peaks in the winter, while electricity rates peak during the winter and summer. Since almost all U.S. homes rely on one of these two resources to heat their hot water, energy waste caused by tanked systems costs you more money depending on the time of year.
Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, optimize energy consumption by heating water on demand. You’ll not only use less energy to heat water overall, but during the months when saving matters and return potential is highest.
Auf wiedersehen energy overages
Load shedding technology in tankless water heaters further prevents exorbitant energy costs. But what is load shedding?
Depending on the application and a family’s energy consumption profile, heating water on demand while other appliances run may place them beyond capacity. Load shedding technology automatically shuts off assigned energy-using appliances – like a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system – so as not to overextend consumption.
So, when you turn on the hot water tap to fill your bathtub or wash your hands, electric tankless heaters switch off preset systems to save you energy and money. Best of all, once you’re done heating water, tankless heaters reactivate whatever appliance was shut off. Pretty nifty, right?
Wasting energy is a bad habit. We should all do our part to use less and consume intelligently. But sometimes, saving energy isn’t about changing your lifestyle – just changing your hot water heater. Go tankless, and you’ll see the difference in your next energy bill.