Despite what guerilla marketing has led us to believe, the United States actually ranks very low on ‘going green’ in the world’s energy efficiency rankings. Many people are hesitant to go green in their own home beyond sorting the recycling twice a month, but the truth is that it’s painfully easy to both save the environment and save your pocketbook. One of the best ways to go green in the modern home is to install a tankless water heater instead of the traditional option. While there are a variety of benefits including less storage space being taken up and not needing to worry about a pilot light blowing out right before your shower, the number one perk of having a tankless water heater is how much you’ll save – both in energy and money.
Most residential homes built before 2010 use the traditional water tank to heat their water. These work by storing a set amount of water and keeping a flame constantly lit on the bottom of the tank to continuously cycle hot water throughout. This works wonders for turning on any faucet in your home and having an (almost) immediate and unlimited supply of hot water, but the costs of keeping that pilot light on and water circulating is far greater than you may realize. While there are benefits to always having hot water on demand, the unfortunate side effect is that you’re paying to heat the water even when you’re not using it.
A tankless water heater only heats water when you need it, which removes standby heat loss entirely. This conserves energy, which means that you’re wasting fewer resources and lowering your bill at the same time. Your water heater only turning on when you need it will also allow you to accurately track exactly how much energy is being used for your water, which will help when figuring out if and where you need to save. Another benefit to having a tankless water heater is that it does run on energy instead of gas, which is a renewable and more cost-effective resource in the long run.
Traditional water heaters only last on average a maximum of eight years. Can you guess what happens to them once the pilot light blows out for the final time? If you guessed that they end up in a landfill, you’d be right. Most traditional water heaters aren’t safe to recycle due to the constant heat and use they’re put under, and end up heading straight to the local dump to live out their days. Tankless water heaters are smaller, take up significantly less space, and are proven to last up to 30 years with minimal maintenance. They aren’t prone to combustion, rust, or corrosion like traditional water tanks and are easier to replace parts for, which makes them a slam dunk for someone who is looking to reduce waste and replacement costs.
On average, a tankless water heater can save you more than $100-150 a year on your utility bill, but the real benefit is that they use less energy, reduce energy waste, and are much less likely to do long-term harm to the environment by taking up space in a landfill. If you’re looking for a way to go green without breaking the bank or spending thousands on fancy equipment, it’s the way to go.
