While traditional water heaters use a tank to heat water, tankless water heaters heat water on demand. If you’re thinking of installing a tankless water heater in your Seattle home, you may be wondering whether the investment is worth it. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about tankless water heaters.

Do tankless water heaters use less energy than traditional water heaters? Yes. Because tankless water heaters don’t have to keep water heated constantly, they don’t need to use as much energy as standard water heaters do. This is both good for the environment and good for your household budget. With a tankless water heater, you can enjoy hot water whenever you want without having to be concerned about wasting energy.

Will a tankless water heater cost a lot to operate? While tankless water heaters cost more to install than standard water heaters, they also cost less to operate on a regular basis. According to Energy Star , households that install tankless water heaters can expect to save at least $100 a year on their HVAC expenses.

Do tankless water heaters require a lot of space? In fact, tankless water heaters take up much less space than most standard water heaters. While traditional water heaters tend to be large and bulky, a tankless water heater is compact and can be installed in virtually any part of your home. Many homeowners appreciate the versatility allowed by tankless water heaters, which can be placed anywhere from garages to attics.

Will it be more difficult to get hot water with a tankless water heater? You might be concerned that you won’t be able to get heated water as reliably with a different type of water heater, especially if you have a large household where more than one person might need hot water. There’s no need to worry: A tankless water heater will allow you to get hot water from multiple taps—such as your shower tap and your kitchen sink tap—at the same time.

If you’re looking for a smart and cost-effective alternative to having a central HVAC system in your Seattle home, you might want to consider the potential of a ductless mini-split system . A mini-split system is a type of HVAC system that works without the ductwork that central systems require to function. Instead, a mini-split system uses an outdoor unit and an indoor unit—connected by wires through a small hole in the wall—in tandem to heat and cool one or more rooms inside your home. Mini-split systems are easy to add to homes that you’ve just moved into, and they’re a terrific way to upgrade your current house as well. If you don’t want to install ductwork, or if your home is small, a mini-split system may be a better option for you than a new central HVAC system. Mini-split systems are one of the most efficient climate control options available, and they are simple and convenient to operate.

If you’re concerned about the quality of the air inside your Seattle home, talk to an HVAC professional about germicidal UV lamps. These lamps are designed to eradicate many of the contaminants that take up residence inside your air conditioning vents , allowing you to breathe cleaner and healthier air at home. You may be wondering, however, just how effective these UV lamps really are. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about germicidal UV lamps—and the answers.

How do UV lamps work? UV lamps emit ultraviolet light, which damages the DNA inside organic pollutants such as bacteria, viruses, and mold spores. When they are aimed at a certain area, UV lamps can kill as much as 99.9% of the organic contaminants in that area.

Do UV lamps work on all pollutants? UV lamps will not eliminate dust, pollen, and other non-organic pollutants. To keep your air conditioning vents clean, you should still be sure to invest in routine cleaning and maintenance from an HVAC professional.

Will I notice my UV lamps at work? The answer is most likely no. UV lamps are silent, and they emit no odor. You probably won’t even notice your lamps at work. Be careful, however, never to look directly at a UV lamp—ultraviolet light is extremely dangerous to your eyesight.

Do UV lamps require any maintenance? You can have your UV lamps checked during your routine HVAC inspections to ensure that they’re working properly. HVAC professionals generally recommend that you replace the bulbs on an annual basis.

Who can benefit from using UV lamps? Clean air is important for everybody, but it may be most important for young children, the elderly, and people who have compromised immune systems. Minimizing exposure to bacteria, viruses, and other hazardous contaminants can make a significant difference in the lives of people who are more vulnerable to illness.

Tankless water heating has surged in popularity in recent years as homeowners across the globe seek energy-efficient and space-saving solutions for their households. With a broad range of options available, you may be unsure which tankless water heater is best. Follow this guide to help you understand the fundamentals, weigh the pros and cons, and consider the types of tankless water heaters for your home.

How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?

Unlike conventional storage tanks that maintain a large volume of hot water, tankless water heaters generate hot water on demand. They use high-powered gas burners or electric elements to rapidly heat water as it flows through the unit, delivering freshly heated water directly to your faucet without storing it in a tank. This on-demand functionality is highly efficient, space-saving, and eco-friendly.

Pros and Cons of Tankless Water Heaters

Before you decide to switch to a tankless water heater, carefully weigh the pros and cons of this technology.

Pros

• Efficiency and savings: Tankless water heaters only operate when needed, making them highly energy efficient. In fact, they reduce energy consumption by an average of 24 to 34 percent, leading to significant utility savings.
• Longevity: Tankless water heaters are designed for durability, with a lifespan of up to 20 years—around double that of traditional tank models. This longer operational life adds to your long-term savings.
• Small installation footprint: Unlike bulky tank water heaters, tankless units are compact and can be wall-mounted indoors or outdoors, providing more installation flexibility. This frees up valuable space in your home, making tankless units particularly advantageous for smaller residences.
• Continuous hot water supply: Because tankless units provide hot water on demand, you never run out, even after extended usage. This ensures a constant supply of hot water for endless back-to-back showers.

Cons

• Higher initial costs: Tankless water heaters cost more to purchase and install than traditional models. The potential need to upgrade your electrical system or ventilation setup adds to the upfront costs. Even so, the ongoing energy savings and long lifespan of tankless water heaters can offset the higher upfront costs, making them a financially sound investment.
• Limited output: While they provide continuous hot water, tankless heaters struggle to keep up if multiple taps are in use simultaneously. This reduced flow rate could be problematic for large households or homes with high simultaneous hot water demand.
• Inconsistent temperatures: If you shut off the water or lower the flow rate to a trickle, the tankless unit turns itself off. This means when you restore the hot water flow, the temperature may drop before it becomes hot again. This inconvenient phenomenon, called a “cold-water sandwich,” may still be worth it to enjoy significantly more efficient water heating.

Types of Tankless Water Heaters

Even within the category of tankless water heaters, you have a few styles and fuel types to choose from:

• Whole-house tankless water heaters are robust enough to cater to the hot water needs of an entire household. They are installed in a central location, often where your old water heater was installed, and service every faucet and fixture in your home.
• Point-of-use tankless water heaters supply hot water to a single point, such as a bathroom or a kitchen sink. They are compact and easy to install within the cabinet or high on the wall. This can be a cost-effective solution for adding hot water functionality to specific parts of your house while eliminating the wait time for hot water.
• Electric tankless water heaters are easy to install because they don’t require ventilation. However, they may draw substantial power, calling for an electrical system upgrade in some cases. These units are generally well-suited for smaller homes or point-of-use applications.
• Natural gas tankless water heaters are more powerful than electric models, capable of supplying larger volumes of hot water. However, they require proper ventilation to ensure safe operation, which limits where they can be installed.
• Thermostatically controlled tankless water heaters are sophisticated models that use flow-based power modulation to maintain a more precise temperature despite changes in flow rate. This makes every shower more comfortable and helps prevent scalding at the tap, a significant benefit in homes with young children or older adult residents.

Tankless Water Heater Solutions in Seattle, WA

Olson Energy Service is a trusted name in HVAC, electrical, and plumbing services. We have been serving Seattle since 1926 as a family-owned and operated business. Our skilled and experienced technicians can help you select a tankless water heater and conduct a professional installation, ensuring your complete satisfaction for years to come. If you’re ready to go tankless, please call us today at 206.782.5522 or contact us online to request tankless water heater services in Seattle, WA.

In recent years, hot water heater technology has evolved to include many different types of tankless models. When you install a tankless water heater in your home, you will enjoy an unlimited supply of hot water that is generated on demand. By purchasing a tankless water heater from a contractor that installs hot water heaters in Seattle, you will be able to pick out a model that meets your household’s daily hot water requirements. If you are on the fence about whether tankless technology is right for your home, read these compelling reasons to choose a tankless water heater.

Endless Hot Water Supply

A conventional hot water heater stores its entire supply of hot water in a large, insulated tank. During times of high demand, your conventional water heater may run out of heated water. If you are tired of taking cold showers or running out of hot water at inconvenient moments, a tankless water heater may be the best choice for your household. This type of hot water heater creates an endless supply of hot water.

Prolonged Lifespan

When you purchase a tankless hot water heater, you can feel great knowing that your investment will last for up to two decades or longer. Although tankless hot water heaters often require a larger initial investment, the cost is offset by their long lifespans. In comparison, you will typically find yourself replacing your conventional hot water heater at least once every fourteen or fifteen years. For this reason, a tankless water heater is a smart investment for your household.

Better Efficiency

Along with providing you with an unlimited supply of hot water, a tankless water heater will also offer better efficiency for your plumbing system. Rather than continually using up energy and natural resources, a tankless hot water heater only turns on when it is needed. After you have purchased and installed a tankless water heater in your home, you may find that your monthly hot water bill and energy bill are dramatically reduced.

Heat loss can cause your heat pump or boiler to work less efficiently during the cold winter season. If you are looking for a great way to improve your comfort at home and boost the efficiency of your furnace, you may want to explore the benefits of fireplace inserts . A company that installs fireplace inserts near Seattle can help you determine whether a new insert will help to reduce the heat loss in your home.

There are a couple of ways that fireplace inserts are able to cut down on heat loss in a home. A properly installed insert will warm up air that enters your home from the outside. Replacing your conventional fireplace with an insert will also create a closed system that is not affected by drafts or cold outdoor temperatures. By radiating heat, a fireplace insert will also help you keep your home warmer and more comfortable during the chilly months of winter.

If your home is in need of a new water heating system, you may want to consider shopping for a tankless water heater. Unlike a conventional water heater, which uses energy to store hot water throughout the day and night, a tankless water heater only turns on when it senses a demand for hot water. With services from a company that offers water heater replacement in Seattle, you will be able to install a new tankless water heater that will provide you with terrific performance for many years to come. Let’s take a look at when to consider a tankless water heater for your home.

Your Current Water Heater Operates Inefficiently

When you start to notice that your conventional water heater is no longer providing you with good efficiency, it may be time to consider a tankless installation. Some of the signs of an inefficient water heater include higher hot water bills or a system that frequently runs out of hot water. With a tankless unit, you will enjoy much better efficiency from your water heating system.

You Want to Save Space in Your Home

Apartment dwellers and families that live in smaller houses are always looking for ways to free up extra space. You may have noticed that the bulky tank of your conventional water heater takes up a lot of space in your home. If you want to save space and free up additional room for storage, it may be time to go tankless.

You Want to Make a Long Lasting Investment

Purchasing a new water heater can be a major expense for any household. If you want to make sure that your new water heater is a great investment in the long run, you may want to consider your tankless options. Tankless water heaters have an average lifespan of up to twenty years, which is twice as long as the ten year lifespan of a conventional unit. After your tankless water heater has been installed, you can rest assured that it will remain operational for decades in the future.

A tankless water heater is good for your home and good for the environment. They’re an ideal option for people looking for a replacement water heater and who want an alternative to the conventional models. Could a tankless water heater in Seattle be right for your home? Here are some signs that a tankless system could be the best choice for you.

You’re always running out of hot water.

Conventional water heaters have large tanks that store a certain amount of hot water. When that water is gone, water must be reheated before you can get hot water again. Tankless water heaters heat water on demand. This means that you’ll never face a cold shower again. One thing to keep in mind is that a tankless water heater only puts out a certain number of gallons at a time, so if your family typically runs the dishwasher and the washing machine while you’re showering, you may that the water is not as hot as you would like or that you don’t have enough water pressure. However, if you don’t frequently use multiple appliances at once, a tankless heater is an ideal solution to hot water problems.

Your hot water heater is taking up too much space.

Tankless water heaters are ideal for small living spaces or any home that wants to reclaim the space that is currently being taken up by a conventional water heater. Tankless heaters consist of a small, wall-mounted system rather than a large tank, so they help to free up a significant amount of space in your home.

You want to cut your energy costs.

Tankless water heaters have an enormous energy advantage over conventional water heaters, because they don’t require any kind of standby heat source. Tankless systems only kick into action when you need hot water, which drastically reduces the cost of operation. A tankless water heater requires a bigger up front investment, but this additional expense can be recouped in lower energy bills from not continuously heating unused water.

You have to heat your water somehow, but some methods are much more efficient than others. Standard water heaters can be the right choice in certain situations, but you should also consider the advantages of a tankless water heater in Seattle . This type of heating appliance is convenient, energy-efficient, and inexpensive to operate. If you are in the market for a new water heater, feel free to read on and take a look at tankless water heaters.

If you live in a small space, care about energy-efficiency, and would like to save money on your bills, a tankless water heater may be the way to go. Since this type of water heater does not depend on a large reserve of water, it is much easier to fit one into living spaces of all sizes. The lack of tank also means there is no standby heat loss, which increases the overall efficiency of your water heater and your home. A tankless water heater will heat up your water on the spot, so there is little-to-no waste. This will reduce the cost of your energy bills, allowing you to save money and enjoy a more convenient and efficient household.