Every morning you look forward to a satisfying hot shower. But is it time to cut costs and energy and replace that big old bulky water storage tank with a tankless water heater? If you are building a small house or custom house plan, designing for a tankless water system can increase your energy savings immediately.

Unlike conventional water heaters which constantly heat water stored in a tank and will run out of hot water when usage is higher than the stored hot water, tankless water heaters do not store water but heat water as it runs through the pipe, therefore eliminating dreaded situations of unexpected cold water pouring over you in the shower.

Tankless heaters heat the water with a heat exchanger, similar to heat exchangers in refrigerators or air conditioners. The exchanger is activated when you turn on your hot water tap by the incoming flow of water. It then circulates through the activated exchanger to deliver your hot water. Tankless heaters can either be electric or gas-powered, natural or propane. They also come in different sizes – a point of use system, usually electrically powered, is small and only heats water for up to two outlets. Point of use systems can easily fit under a vanity or kitchen sink close to the sink, therefore avoiding water loss by reducing the time it takes for the water to reach the faucet, also known as lag time. The larger system, whole-house heaters, typically gas-powered, is more expensive but provides hot water for all outlets.

The advantages of a tankless water heating system are obvious: you never run out of hot water, you save money and energy by not continually heating the water in your tank, your basement will never be flooded from leaking or ruptured tanks, the system lasts longer than a tank, the government rewards you with a tax break, and you save space by not having a giant tank in your basement which is especially important in a small home plan. However, the initial cost of installing this system is more expensive, but it is essential to consider life-cycle cost savings which can make your initial investment pay for itself.

If you are designing a new home to run more efficiently, it would be worth to think about choosing a tankless system instead of the standard water heater. The party of ten you invited for the long holiday weekend to stay at your house will thank you for it, and so will your budget.

Photo by Moosicorn

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