A tankless water heater -- that is, a water heater that does not contain a holding tank for heated water -- sounds like something of a conundrum, but the truth is, a tankless water heater is an excellent choice of appliance to install if you need to replace your existing water heater, or you're simply looking to upgrade. Traditional water heaters work by heating water -- either with electric or with fuel [propane or oil] -- and then storing it in an insulated tank. As the tank drains due to a demand for hot water, more water is pumped in and heated. Water is pumped in through the bottom, and pumped out through the top.

Then there is the tankless water heater. If you've looked around your home and haven't found a water heater, you may already have one of these installed, perhaps underneath your sink or in a utility closet near your washer. Tankless heaters rely on a special boiler that essentially super-heats water on demand. This water is usually heated to a higher temperature than what water in a traditional heater is heated to, so that as it cools during the delivery to your sink or shower, it'll still be hot enough. The nice thing about tankless heaters is that storage tanks can often be connected to them, should you find that your household places too much demand on a completely tankless system. Small households or households that do not have a high demand for hot water will do just fine on a tankless water heater, whereas larger households or households where hot water is used more [for frequent washings and showers, for example] may want to add a storage tank.

Tankless water heaters are a good choice for energy efficiency, as a tankless heater uses less energy to super-heat the on-demand water than a tank heater would use to keep a large quantity of water heated. Another benefit is that they are generally a bit smaller in size, so if you have limited square footage to work with, this may be an ideal solution.

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This blog was sponsored by Payless Water Heaters, Tankless Water Heater Installers in California that specialize in the installation, service and repair of tankless water heaters. To inquire about tankless water heater prices for your home, visit their website.