How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?

It’s Not Magic: Here’s the Secret to Unlimited Hot Water

If you have a traditional tank-style water heater that’s hitting the ten-year mark, you’re probably used to running out of hot water. On busy mornings, when everyone needs to shower and get out, someone likely ends up with a lukewarm experience. Not the best way to start the day.

Imagine having virtually unlimited hot water while seeing lower fuel bills. It’s possible with a high-efficiency tankless water heater. You can even run the dishwasher and do a load of laundry at the same time without worry! Sounds like magic, right?

Here’s the technology behind the magic of a tankless water heater:

Tankless Water Heater 101

Tankless water heaters save energy by instantly heating water when you need it. When you turn on the tap, water flows through the unit and is heated instantly by a propane-fueled heating element. When you turn off the tap, the unit stops heating water. Compare this to the cost of operating a traditional water heater, which requires you to keep a tank holding many gallons of water hot and ready to use all the time. As a result, you can enjoy virtually unlimited hot water — while seeing savings of up to 40%!

You’ll save space as well as energy: Tankless water heaters are compact — about the size of a suitcase — and can even hang on a wall, freeing up room in your basement or utility room. That said, there are different sizes designed to fit different needs. Rather than total gallons, their output is measured in a flow rate of gallons per minute. The more hot water you need at the same time will require a higher flow rate.

The main downside to a tankless water heater is price — but they will pay for themselves in savings in the long run, versus a storage tank style, which will cost you more over time.

Versatility and Flexibility

You had us at “unlimited hot water.” But there are other benefits to tankless water heaters. Because they take up far less space than traditional storage tanks, you get far greater options in how and where you install them.

That means you can add hot water capacity to your home — say, for a new bathroom, laundry area, or guest suite — without needing to upgrade to a larger, bulkier tank. You can even install multiple smaller tankless units in different areas for faster, more efficient hot water delivery exactly where you need it.

This flexibility makes tankless systems an ideal choice for both growing families and homes with unique layouts or limited space.

The Bottom Line

Your water heater works hard for you. The typical American household uses between 60 and 65 gallons of hot water a day for bathing and showering, washing dishes, laundry, cleaning, and other tasks. That’s a lot of hot water — and a lot of energy.

Why not switch to a high-efficiency tankless water heater and enjoy all the hot water you need, without driving up your energy costs?

The pros at Admiral have the experience and knowledge to help you upgrade to a tankless system so you can start enjoying long hot showers instead of getting boiled up over energy costs.

Contact us for more information today.