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.

No Seattle homeowner ever wants to be left without a working air conditioner when the summer is at its hottest. That’s why it’s essential to have an air conditioning contractor you can always depend on to provide you with capable service in a crisis. At Olson Energy Service , we offer emergency HVAC service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to customers in the Seattle area. If you’re experiencing any issues at all with your air conditioning system, our expert technicians can diagnose the problem and repair it in short order. Our team has experience responding to a wide array of HVAC problems, from failed compressors to cracked refrigerant lines. We offer preventative maintenance services to help extend the life of your AC system, and we’ll also be happy to replace your current system with a brand-new one. When you’re having trouble with your AC system, don’t hesitate to contact our team for immediate assistance.

In order to protect yourself and your loved ones against the dangers of a household fire, it is critical to install smoke detectors throughout your home. A contractor that repairs boilers and air conditioners serving Seattle can also provide you with a new smoke detector installation. To improve the safety and reliability of your smoke detectors, it may also be a good idea to talk to your HVAC contractors about the possibility of choosing a hardwired smoke detector.

A hardwired smoke detector offers many benefits to your household. Unlike battery-powered smoke detectors, which will cease to function if their batteries run out of power, hardwired smoke detectors are connected to the main electrical grid of your property. Whether your fire has been caused by a furnace problem or another type of emergency, your hardwired smoke detector will immediately alert you to the presence of fire dangers. Since hardwired smoke detectors also contain battery backups, they will function properly with or without power from your home’s electrical system.

When the summer season arrives in Seattle, you will want to make sure that your air conditioner is ready to keep your home’s interior cool and comfortable. If your air conditioner is more than 15 years old, it could be reaching the end of its lifespan. With services from an HVAC company that specializes in air conditioning near Seattle , you will be able to replace your unit before the summer months kick into full gear. To help you decide whether it is time to set up an appointment with your HVAC contractors, here is a look at some signs that it is time to replace your air conditioner.

Your System Is Getting Old

Age is a primary factor to consider when you are deciding whether to replace your air conditioning unit. When you install a brand new air conditioner in your home, it will have an expected lifespan of about 15 years. Relying on the same air conditioning system for 15 years or longer could eventually lead to efficiency and maintenance problems.

You Are Facing Costly Repairs

At a certain point, the cost of repairing your old system may be more than the price of purchasing a brand new unit. If you are deciding between air conditioner repair or replacement, you can ask your HVAC technician to provide you with an estimate for the costs of your repairs. Rather than footing the bill for a major repair service, you may be better off simply purchasing a brand new unit.

You Can No Longer Purchase the Right Coolant

Older air conditioning systems typically rely on R-22 Freon, which is a special type of refrigerant. Due to the environmental impact of R-22 Freon, this type of refrigerant is harder to find and more costly to install. If your air conditioner needs to be recharged wit R-22 Freon, you may end up spending hundreds of dollars on this service. With a brand new air conditioner, you can rest assured that your system runs on a coolant that is affordable, environmentally friendly, and easy to find.

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.

If you want to boost the heating power of your heat pump or furnace, you may want to consider installing a fireplace insert. In this video from This Old House, you will take a look at how the professionals install fireplace inserts. After the original fireplace has been prepared, your technicians will carefully run a vent pipe through the damper. A company that repairs your heat pump near Seattle can also assist you with a fireplace insert installation.

If you have questions about whether a fireplace insert will work for your home, be sure to consult a team of experienced HVAC technicians. Your professional contractors can evaluate your current fireplace and determine whether an insert can be safely installed.

When the days begin to grow warmer, most Seattle residents begin using their air conditioning more frequently. If you want to keep your air conditioning system operating at top capacity, it’s important to invest in routine maintenance. Here are some of the most critical reasons to have your air conditioner serviced by an HVAC professional on a regular basis.

You’ll need fewer repairs. The longer your system goes without a professional inspection, the more time it has to malfunction. All too often, these minor issues go neglected—and turn into major issues. When a qualified HVAC technician looks at your air conditioning system, he or she will be able to look for signs of trouble and prevent them from turning into expensive repairs for you. Routine maintenance is an investment that can pay off in the form of fewer calls for emergency AC repair.

Your system will be more efficient. When your air conditioning system goes without a professional checkup for too long, it will inevitably begin to operate less efficiently. This will translate into subpar performance, which means that you’ll need to run your air conditioner more often to keep your house cool. Eventually, your AC system may not provide you with good service at all. You can dodge this problem by having your system professionally serviced from time to time.

You’ll enjoy better performance. The best reason to have your air conditioning system routinely serviced is that it will result in a more comfortable home for you and your family. If any element of your air conditioner is failing, it is bound to affect the performance of the entire system. If this happens during the warmer months, you could be left without a fully functional air conditioner—which is something that no homeowner wants to contemplate. Fortunately, you can reduce your chances of a malfunction by investing in routine professional HVAC service.

Is your air conditioner as efficient as it could be? Most Seattle homeowners may not be sure whether their air conditioning system is up to modern standards of efficiency. If you’re concerned that your bills are too high or that you are needing to run your air conditioner for long hours to keep your house cool, it may be time to contact an HVAC professional to talk about having your system replaced with a new one. If you want to better understand how air conditioner efficiency is measured, here is a guide to some of the most commonly used terms.

BTU. BTU is a term that stands for British Thermal Unit, and it represents the amount of heat that is required to increase the temperature of a pound of water by exactly 1 degree Fahrenheit. If you strike a single match and let it burn down, you have used up approximately 1 BTU.

Horsepower. This is a common unit of power with a number of distinct meanings. In terms of your air conditioner’s efficiency, horsepower is used to measure cooling capacity—or the amount of heat your air conditioner is able to remove from a room.

COP. COP stands for Coefficient of Performance. In terms of your HVAC system, the COP is the ratio of the amount of work you put into your system to the amount of heating or cooling you get out of it. The higher your COP is, the more reasonable your utility bills will be.

EER. EER stands for energy efficiency ratio. For the purposes of your air conditioner, it is the ratio of every BTU of energy your system uses to every watt of electrical energy it produces. The EER is used to measure the efficiency of room air conditioners, while a different ratio called the SEER—the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio—is used to describe central air conditioners.

Energy Star. Energy Star is a program in the United States that certifies the most energy-efficient products on the market, helping consumers to make the best decisions for their budget and the environment. In order to be labeled with the Energy Star symbol, a product such as an air conditioner must meet the minimum requirements of the EPA.

According to The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, more than 120,000 annual deaths in the United States are attributed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a term used to describe a group of health conditions characterized by breathing difficulty. These include severe asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Unfortunately, many people who have COPD do not even realize that they have it. COPD can be worsened by a number of invisible pollutants in the air inside a home, including mold spores, dust mites, chemical fumes, and pollen. The quality of your indoor air has a significant effect on your quality of life, particularly if you have COPD. If you’re concerned about your indoor air quality, a professional air duct cleaning by an HVAC company in Seattle is the perfect place to start.

You never can tell when an electrical emergency will happen, which is why it’s important to be ready for a crisis. Olson Energy Service offers emergency electrical service to homeowners in the Seattle area, troubleshooting everything from HVAC control malfunctions to your indoor wiring. If your service panel is hot to the touch, you notice a burning odor coming from any of your electrical outlets or appliances, or you’re experiencing unexplained power outages, it’s a sign that you need to contact an electrical professional as soon as possible. Our team of skilled technicians offers a wide array of emergency services, including expedited electrical repairs, replacement of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and safety inspections. To ensure that you’re never at a loss when it comes to electrical emergencies, we offer our services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you have any questions for our team, contact us today.