Tankless water heaters are everywhere now! But buying a tankless can be overwhelming as there are many different brands available on the market and you can get a tankless water heater from several places now. Nowadays, you can either get a tankless water heater from a plumbing company or a store like Home Depot. But is it a wise decision to get a tankless water heater from Home Depot?
In this article, we will talk about the benefits and drawbacks of purchasing a tankless water heater, along with things to consider when buying a tankless water heater from a retailer.
Our goal is to help you understand what you are getting into so that you can make the best decision for yourself and your home. We here at Monkey Wrench Plumbing are dedicated to helping all of our clients with all the tough plumbing and water heater choices you have to make for your home.
What is a Tankless Water Heater?
A tankless water heater is a water heater that heats your water without the bulkiness of a tank. Unlike a conventional water heater that is storing the water inside the tank, a tankless water heater has nowhere to store it and heats the water almost instantly as it moves through the heat exchanger, ultimately providing with you an endless supply of hot water.
Some of the popular brands of tankless water heaters include Noritz, Navien, and Takagi.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Tankless Water Heaters
With all this hype around tankless water heaters, you must be wondering what the benefits and drawbacks of having a tankless water heater are?
Some of the benefits of having a tankless water heater include:
- Endless Hot Water
Since tankless water heaters heat on demand, it’s possible to have an endless supply of hot water. While there are some caveats, a tankless water heater allows for long hot showers without the worry of running out of hot water.
- Space Needed
One of the biggest pros of having a tankless water heater is that it’s much smaller than a conventional heater and can help open up a space if you need it.
- Life Expectancy
A tankless water heater will last twice as long as a conventional water heater with the proper maintenance. If installed properly and taken care of, a tankless unit can last anywhere between 20-to-25 years. Check out this article here to learn more about what factors affect the lifespan of a tankless water heater.
- Gas Costs
As a tankless water heater owner, you will not be spending nearly as much on gas. The reasoning behind this is that it’s only heating water as you need it whereas a conventional will constantly be heating water that's in that tank for whenever you do need it.
- Rebates
If you have a conventional water heater and are looking to go tankless, there are rebates in Southern California for qualifying tankless water heater models including federal tax credit. Check out this article here as we go into more detail about the rebates offered with a tankless water heater.
With all the good, it would be unfair to leave out the bad when it comes to tankless water heaters. Some of the drawbacks of having a tankless water heater include:
- Cost
Tankless water heaters have a higher upfront cost compared to conventional water heaters. While conventional water heaters can cost $1900-$3300, tankless water heaters can cost anywhere from $4800-$7500 including installation. While the upfront cost of a tankless water heater is higher, the warranties and life expectancy of a tankless water heater can save you money in the long run. Check out this article here as we dive deeper into what affects the cost of your tankless water heater.
- Larger Homes
While most tankless water heaters have no problem keeping up with hot water demands, the larger your home is, the larger the demand. If you live in a large home or business, you may need to install more than one tankless water heater to make sure you'll always have endless hot water.
- Yearly Maintenance
With the tankless unit, yearly maintenance is highly recommended for homes that have hard water. While yearly maintenance is recommended to keep a tankless water heater running smoothly, you can have a trained tankless specialist perform your cleaning or even do it yourself. Read more about the kinds of maintenance your tankless water heater requires in this post here.
- Hard Water Issues
Lastly, hard water is not a fan of the tankless water heater, so if you don’t have water treatment installed on your tankless, it can very likely cause early breakdowns or a leak. Because water is heated up through the heat exchanger, hard water will create scale build-up inside of your tankless water heater, which can cause your tankless water heater to work harder to heat your hot water and shorten the lifespan of your tankless water heater. Check out this article here to learn more about hard water and how it affects your tankless water heater.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Purchasing Tankless Water Heaters at Home Depot
Because there are so many different avenues to buy a tankless water heater, deciding whether or not to purchase a tankless water heater from Home Depot can be difficult. However, there are some advantages and disadvantages to buying a tankless water heater from Home Depot.
The key advantage to buying a tankless water heater from Home Depot is:
- Initial Price
- The initial price of buying a tankless water heater from Home Depot will be much lower than buying it from a certified plumbing company because you are buying the unit by itself. Other components like an expansion tank, recirculation pump, water filtration, and isolation valves (which all contribute to the lifespan and functionality of your tankless) will have to be purchased separately.
- The initial price of buying a tankless water heater from Home Depot will be much lower than buying it from a certified plumbing company because you are buying the unit by itself. Other components like an expansion tank, recirculation pump, water filtration, and isolation valves (which all contribute to the lifespan and functionality of your tankless) will have to be purchased separately.
Some of the disadvantages of buying a tankless water heater from Home Depot include:
- Features & Quality
- Warranty
- Lack of Knowledge
- Sales Only, No Service
Want to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing a tankless water heater from Home Depot? Check out this article here as we go further in-depth about the benefits and drawbacks of buying a tankless water heater from retailers like Home Depot and Lowes or online retailers like Amazon.
Is Buying a Tankless Water Heater from a Retailer Right For You?
Buying a tankless water heater from Home Depot has many advantages and disadvantages but you may run into installation issues, among other problems when buying from a retailer instead of through a certified technician. You could potentially cause damage to your tankless water heater, the warranty will be cut short, and you may not be selecting the best model for your home as retailers may not have all the knowledge to cater to your specific needs.
Ready to move forward with your tankless purchase but unsure what are the next steps? Check out the articles below to learn how much a tankless water heater costs, along with the factors that affect the cost of a tankless and the steps to decide which size tankless water heater is right for you based on your personal needs.
How Much Does a Tankless Water Heater Cost?
Three Steps to Determine Which Size Tankless Water You Need
If you live in the Los Angeles area, and you’re ready to see what a tankless water heater looks like for your home, click the ‘Book’ button below and one of our certified tankless water heater technicians would be happy to help you. Still have questions about tankless water heaters? Give us a call at 310-853-8690.
