Though tankless water heater is a helpful and advanced appliance but on the other hand, it has some drawbacks too. Some of the downsides of the tankless water heater are discussed below.
Table of Contents
Unit and Installation cost
The tankless water heater’s cost is surprisingly higher than the traditional tank water heater. Being the latest and most advanced appliance, a tankless water heater can be more expensive than traditional tank-style water heaters.
Also, the cost of installation of tankless water heater unit comprises different components and may involve a professional for the perfect fitting.
Water Storage
As the name suggests, tankless water heater comes without conventional tank-type storage. It proved to be a huge problem when you need water during a power outage. Tankless water heaters are supposed to provide hot water only when it is turned on. Still, there are different sizes of tankless water heaters that you have to choose from.
Water Consumption
Tankless water heaters provide limited gallons of hot water. If the unit is installed to the busiest taps of your house, more water consumption will be a problem as the tankless water heater may run out of hot water due to the high consumption of water from different taps at the same time.
Lower GPM (Gallons per Minute)
A tankless water heater with a low GPM is one of the major downsides of the tankless water heater. If you have a big family, a low GPM is a big problem as it will not provide as much hot water as needed.
For a bigger family, always go for the tankless water heater with high GPM, which provides continuous hot water for longer durations. It can prove to be the best tankless water heater for you.
Cold Water Sandwich Effect
Some tankless water heaters may produce a “cold water sandwich effect”, which is a brief moment of cold water before the hot water starts flowing. This can be annoying, but it is generally less of an issue in newer models.
It generally happens when you are washing dishes in the kitchen, where you turn the tap on and off frequently. So there are chances that you might face a burst of cold water before it could get hot. You can read more on how tankless water heater work.
Maintenance Cost
Unlike the traditional tank-type water heater, which barely needs maintenance, the tankless water heater needs weekly and even detailed monthly maintenance to keep them operating efficiently. It requires flushing the system to remove the mineral buildup.
If you don’t do this, the mineral will accumulate in the pipes of the tankless water heater, which may damage the unit’s flow rate and even cause the bursting of pipes due to the lack of required flow pressure.
Conclusion
Overall, while tankless water heaters have some potential downsides, they may still be a good choice for homeowners looking for energy-efficient and space-saving options for providing hot water to their households.
I grew up on a small farm in New Jersey. We had a big family because my parents, my uncles and aunties all were living together on this farm so, you can imagine, it was always over crowded with people. But living in farm was really great because we had to do everything on our own and I learned so many things from my parents and uncles and aunties and that is where I found my passion for fixing things, whether it is renovating or designing, I was always there. Read more