Real Estate Community Forum

I was wondering if anyone knows how a tankless water heater works and if anyone has one in their home? My current water heater is very old and I am thinking of installing a new tankless water heater in my home. I have heard they are cost efficient and since they are very small, I can install them almost anywhere. In addition, I am hoping that installing a tankless water heater will be a good selling piece for home buyers. Once they see my home has something unique and cost efficient, they may think twice about possibly buying my house. Does everyone agree?

Also does anyone know how much water heaters cost and what is the life span of them? I want to make sure the price for installing one is worth it in the long run. Thanks.

I love 'em. I recently switched to a tankless water heater myself. It seems that the rest of the world has been using these forever...and us Americans are just catching on.

By and large, tank-less or instant water heaters are more energy efficient compared to the regular kind since they don't have to heat and reheat the water in the tank. However, depending on the plumbing in your dwelling, it may take a minute for the water to heat and pup through to the faucet...so it may also result in a lot of water waste as you have to let the cold water run until the hot water makes its way to you.

Also, buying the right capacity can be tricky...if you don't buy a large enough model, it may not be able to heat and pump enough hot water to satisfy the usage in your household...so make sure you do research and buy for the number of people in your house.

Check out this website for more info: http://www.tanklesswaterheaterguide.com/ and also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tankless_w ... ss_heaters

My favorite manufacturers are Rheem and Bosch.

I’m in total agreement with all of those statements. I designed my home with VERY short pipe runs to showers and sink, and I still notice a delay in the hot water. But I also notice a drop of about 25% in my gas bill. That makes up for a LOT of water. Since I have a conscience, I try to use the cold water before it warms up. I also wash clothes in cold water whenever possible.

What I do notice is that the water heater is off the floor, easily set for both temperature and flow, and cost about $300 more than a comparable tank heater. The installation was far less expensive than tank heaters, too. They come with their own bracket for “earthquake prevention”, too. Like any heater you will have to have good air supply wherever it is located. You might need to add an air vent to the outside or a crawl space for a basement room. You will also need to put a chimney to the outside for the gases. A knowledgeable contractor is definitely in order.

There has been a lot of talk about these lately and some of the major stores are starting to regularly carry them. I have been looking into this as well as I'm in the same boat as you with my water heater. The key is getting the right unit for the number of faucets and showers you want to control and how many you want to be able to use at one time. It is true that they are cost effective, but it will take a long time for them to pay for themselves. However, if you are selling, I think you could recoup that much faster as people will be really interested in this. Good luck!

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plumbing