A tankless water heater is becoming an increasingly popular option for providing unlimited hot water to an entire home. This is especially true in the San Francisco Bay Area (and Marin County). That’s because they save a lot of energy, which makes them a solid choice for the environment. And they also save money in the long run.

The Bay Area is a great part of the country for tankless water heaters. Our mild winters prevent the water in the city pipes from getting too cold. The tankless water heaters don’t need to heat the water from near freezing which means greater energy efficiency.

Please note that this article is about whole-house tankless water heaters. Please see Instant Hot Water Heater and Dispenser Installation for information on the under the counter instant hot water dispensers intended to deliver hot water to a single spigot.

Tankless Water Heater Installation Since 1991

As Marin County’s premier plumber, I know my clients want the best plumbing solutions without compromise. I help my clients install tankless water heaters that give them all the benefits, without the drawbacks. For my installations, I recommend and install top-quality units and parts to deliver a solution tailored to your family and home.

Pros Without Cons of Tankless Water Heaters

Most websites discuss the pros and cons of tankless vs. the regular (tank-style) water heaters. But with advances in technology and the appropriate installation, almost all the downsides of a tankless water heater can be eliminated.

Since you are reading this, you may already know that the benefits of a tankless water heater include:

• Energy Efficiency
  • because you are only heating the water when you need it.,
• Never Running Out of Hot Water
  • because you aren’t limited to the capacity of a tank,
• Lower Risk of Leaks
  • due to corrosion in a tank of hot water,
• Zero Risk of Tank Exploding
  • because there is no tank
• Lower Levels of Toxic Metals
  • which develop as a water tank ages and corrodes,
• Longer Life Expectancy
  • because it’s not always on.
    

Many families suffer needlessly with the down-sides of tankless water heaters because they choose models that are inadequate, obsolete, or quite frankly too cheap. Inferior installation can also play a role in your tankless hot water heater not meeting your expectations.

The often-cited “drawbacks” of a tankless system are:

• Higher Cost
  • my Marin County clients understand that the best products often cost a little more. But here this might not even be true. Factor energy savings up to 34%. A life expectancy 2X that of a tank-syle heater, and the total cost of ownership may wind up being equal. As a percentage of our home prices in Marin, any difference becomes a rounding error anyway.
    
• Takes Longer To Deliver Hot Water To The Faucet
  • This used to be true. But now, if you install a newer (slightly more expensive) unit with a built-in recirculation pump – problem solved
    
• Cannot Deliver Enough Hot Water To Multiple Fixtures Simultaneously
  • This is only a problem if you install a unit that is under-capacity for your needs. I will ask the right questions to make sure you get the right-size unit.
    
• No Hot Water During A Power Outage
  • This one is true (but easily solved if you have a generator). Though I’m not sure if a lack of hot water is your biggest inconvenience in a power outage.

Ultimately, if you never want to worry about running out of hot water (except in a power outage), and you want the cleanest, safest most environmentally-friendly hot water, then a tankless water heater is for you.

If you are interested in a tankless water heater for your home call me. With a few questions, I can help you choose the best unit for your home and lifestyle. I’ll install it correctly, safely, guaranteed leak-free, and worry-free. 415-883-1243