So it’s time for your water heater to be swapped out. You’ve noticed some drops in hot water quality, the age of the system is getting up there, and you’ve chatted with a trusted plumbing service to verify that it’s time for replacement.

As you prepare to schedule an install, you may find yourself researching other possible hot water heater systems that could work well in your home. While tank hot water heater systems are tried-and-true, another alternative emerges, one with significant benefits to energy, space, and capability: let’s talk tankless.

FYI, our tankless water heater installation differs from our standard hot water heater install service.

At Waterline Plumbing we offer the servicing and installation of both classic tank water heater systems and modern tankless systems. When you call us to learn more about the process of replacing your water heater, we’ll break down all the possible options for your new system by considering your unique water needs, budget, energy use, and more. Whether tankless or traditional, Waterline Plumbing will work with you at every step of the way to ensure your new water heater system is perfectly-suited to your home and lifestyle.

The tankless water heater is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a water heater that doesn’t use a tank! Also known as demand water heaters, this system heats the water as it is needed: it doesn’t store hot water but instead rapidly heats cold water on demand when a hot faucet is opened.

Tankless systems can be gas or electric, using burners or heating elements much like a tank water heater does. However, lacking the bulky tank of the traditional system, these compact and efficient units are quickly becoming more commonplace in homes for their high-tech benefits. So how do they work without a tank?

1. The process begins with the opening of a hot water tap connected to the water heater. A sensor in the body of the system – the flow sensor – alerts the heater’s control panel when it detects water entering the heater.

2. The control panel now realizes there is water to be heated and it gets ready to work, sending a command to the burner (if a gas system) or heating element (if electric) to shut on.

In a gas-fueled tankless water heater, outside air is pulled into the unit through a fan and venting system. This fresh air is used to ignite the burner once the gas valve is opened and gas is let into the system. With air and natural gas in the system, a pilot light will shut on and quickly ignite the burner. In an electrical system the control panel simply alerts the heating element to begin warming, which it does by drawing power from the electrical outlet.

3. The burner/element warms the system’s heat exchanger, a chamber where the cold water is moved through and superheated.

4. The water, now very hot, is mixed with cold water let in through the system’s mixing valve to come out temperate. A temperature sensor is the final check before the hot water is shipped out to the tap you opened – if the desired setting is not up to par, a signal is sent back to the control panel to adjust the heat levels, the cold water mixing valve, and the flow-regulating water valve.

5. If using a gas system, sealed ventilation systems pull exhaust gases out of the water heater and outside of your home.

6. Voila: hot water! This process takes around 10-15 seconds from opening the tap to delivering hot water – that is the same amount of time your traditional tank water heater takes to do the same.

The switch to tankless systems has been a quickly-growing movement among homeowners. There are many benefits to swapping out your traditional tank water heater for a tankless one.

Energy Benefits

The traditional tank-type water heater system is constantly drawing power: when hot water is not being used, it sits in the tank being warmed. A heating element is consistently being activated to ensure all the water in the tank remains at a baseline temperature. The effect of this is obvious: water heating traditionally makes up at least 20% of your utility expenses – these standby energy losses are drains on our energy grids and wallets.

Tankless heaters heat water on demand and thus do not need to be constantly running like a traditional tank-based system. They are up to 50% more efficient energy-wise, resulting in large-scale cost savings over time and significantly lower household energy use.

Space Savings

Without a bulky tank to account for, tankless water heaters are significantly easier to accommodate in your home. This makes them ideal for those desiring to save space or those with space limitations.

Catered to You

Because tankless water heaters are compact, homeowners can build a water heating system to create a balance of efficiency and access unique to their home and lifestyle. Small point-of-use tankless systems are perfect for fixtures like large sinks, hot tubs, pool showers, and more. Individuals with large houses and heavy use might be inclined to break up their water heater system across multiple tankless heaters to avoid overloading a single tank, prolonging the overall lifespan of their water heaters and saving money in the long run.

Technological Advantages

Modern tankless systems are very high-tech: from control panel displays on the front to allow easy setting changes to self-diagnostic programs that immediately alert you to malfunctions, tankless water heaters are loaded with cutting edge tools to facilitate servicing and adjustment. Many even come equipped with WiFi connectivity and can alert your mobile device to changes or malfunctions in your heating system, giving you control even if you aren’t home. For many, this peace of mind is priceless.

Safety Benefits

Tankless systems are significantly safer and less prone to destructive malfunctions when compared to traditional tank systems. Without a massive reservoir of water sitting in the tank and waiting to be used, large leaks in a tankless system are nonexistent. Even more so, the lack of a high-pressure tank means there is no more risk of explosions – a tankless system inherently makes your home safer.

Lifespan

Because tankless systems are exposed to water only on-demand, they are less prone to oxidation. Among other factors, this prolongs their lifespan significantly. Where a traditional tank water heater will last 10 years on average, tankless water heaters average around 20 years before replacement is needed. The cost savings on servicing and replacement over time are significant.

While tankless hot water heaters are extremely useful, there are a few drawbacks that are important to know when considering switching to a tankless system.

Flow-Sensitive

To protect the heater from pressure build-ups and more, tankless systems monitor the flow rate of water and shut off if that flow drops below a certain point. Excess mineral build-up, clogged faucets, and other factors in the overall plumbing system can often cause a tankless water heater to malfunction.

Power Requirements

Without a reserve tank full of hot water, tankless systems need power to provide water heating. In a power outage, your home would therefore lose access to hot water.

Initial Investment

The starting investment for the implementation of a tankless system can scare some homeowners away from the prospect. Tankless systems tend to be at least twice as expensive as tank water heaters and the initial installation by a specialist is more labor-intensive. However, with a longer lifespan and utility cost savings, this investment is paid for around 5-7 years into ownership, with at least a decade of life still left in the system.

Overloading

For most households, overloading your system isn’t a risk if you choose an appropriately-sized and capable tankless water heater for your lifestyle. In bigger homes and high-use households however, it can often be well-worth for homeowners to invest in multiple tankless water heaters to avoid putting too much strain on a single heater, thereby increasing its lifespan.

If you’ve decided to go tankless, there are a few key considerations to have in mind while you pick out a new unit. While cost and fuel type are necessary to think about with any water heater replacement, tankless heaters have a few unique characteristics on top of the traditional factors that are worth knowing about.

The main thing is to figure out what your typical water demand is like, especially at peak hours. By estimating the water use of your various appliances in GPM (gallons per minute) you can make a close estimate of what your water heater needs to be able to produce at your peak household demand. For instance, your shower might flow at a rate of 2 GPM and your washing machine might pull 2.5 GPM. If we assume that someone might be showering while the laundry machine is running, the minimum GPM your new tankless water heater might need is 4.5 GPM. Add on someone doing the dishes and someone washing their hands in the bathroom at the same time – that tankless heater is working hard. This peak demand in your household GPM can be compared to the GPM capabilities of different tankless heaters – with that, you’ll be able to find the right water heater for you based on capability.

Ground temperature is also another important factor in choosing your tankless water heater: depending on where you’re located and the average ground temperature of this area, you will have to find a water heater that can handle the temperature difference between what you want to come out as hot and the temperature of your incoming water. This can be determined by examining the “temperature rise” of each model of water heater. In the northern hemisphere it is important to keep this factor in mind as the capability of your tankless system will have to accommodate for very cold water in the winter months.

At Waterline Plumbing we work closely with our clients at every step of the process to fine-tune their new water heater system to their home and lifestyle. As a member of the FortisBC Trade Ally Network with Level 2 Navien Certifications for all of our installers, Waterline Plumbing prides itself on being a team built from local, highly-specialized, and rigorously-certified technicians.
Waterline Plumbing is quickly becoming the premium branded plumbing choice for the Vancouver area: with no-wait service appointments thanks to our live tech-tracking program, 2-year minimum guarantees on all work and materials, 24-hour phone and online booking services, and a company vision to ensure cleanliness, efficiency, and security at all levels of our operations, we pride ourselves on our commitment to our customers and our work.

1. So you’ve decided that you want to switch to a tankless system: once you contact our team we’ll begin by going over the various factors needed to go tankless. We’ll do a site visit of your home to ensure the availability of gas fuel, drainage, exhaust, and power requirements.

2. Once we’ve established that a tankless system can operate in your home, we’ll go over the various possible setup options for your home based on capability, budget, and warranty options – among more.

3. Once you have chosen your new tankless system, we’ll pick a day and our team of Navien-certified technicians will arrive at your home to replace and install your water heater.

• We will drain your old water heater’s tank and take it off your hands right away, taking it to be safely recycled.
• Waterline Plumbing is proud to have optimized our logistical operations: we’ve invested in a comprehensive back-office program that allows our clients to follow the progress of their technician en-route to your home, giving our clients accurate timelines and making waiting around for a plumber a thing of the past. This program allows us to triage any delayed appointments with lots of heads-up and ensures timely and efficient service at all levels of our operations.

4. We’ll finalize one of the wide range of warranties Waterline Plumbing offers, including a full 10-year guarantee for any systems that are annually serviced by our technicians.

Furthermore, as FortisBC Trade Ally Members, our clients are offered rebates up to $1000 on tankless water heater systems and utilities through municipal permits and city inspections.

5. During the installation, all surfaces are protected with heavy-duty moving blankets. With a post-installation clean of the work area, we make sure to leave every site cleaner than we found it. From shoe booties to vacuums in each van, we take great pride in the quality of our client’s experience when we are in their home.

6. After install, the technician will extensively test the water to confirm your new heater is operating optimally. He will walk you through the install process he just completed and teach you the details of your new system.

Before departing we offer a plumbing checkup on your home at no charge. Additionally, when your system needs servicing in future Waterline Plumbing clients are exempt from call-out fees – we’ll charge only for the tech’s labor.