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If you have a vacation home that you only spend a few weeks in each year and it is time to replace the hot water heater, then you should consider installing a tankless hot water heater instead of a conventional hot water tank. Tankless water heaters work well in every home, but they are an especially great choice for vacation homes.
This post lists four reasons you should install a tankless water heater in your vacation home.
1. Reduced Risk of Leaks
A plumbing leak in your vacation home can be absolutely devastating. You may not discover the leak for months, and by that time, the water damage will be severe. Tank-style water heaters can develop leaky valves, especially as they age. When you're not in the home every day, you may not notice these problems in their early stages.
A tankless water heater does not store any water. This reduces the risk of leaking, particularly if you leave the water supply on when you leave the vacation home. If you want to be extra safe, then you can turn off the main water valve. This is harder to do with a hot water tank since you would then have to drain the tank.
2. Lower Energy Bills
Why pay for a tank of hot water to be kept warm when you're not around? With a tankless hot water heater, energy is only used when you actually use the hot water.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, in homes that use 41 gallons of water per day or less, a tankless water heater is about 24 - 34 percent more efficient than a hot water tank. In a vacation home, your savings may be even more significant. In fact, depending on your utility company's billing policies, you may be able to avoid having an electric or gas bill at all during the months you're not staying in the home.
3. Space Savings
Most vacation cottages are not spacious, and you may not want to waste precious closet space on a water tank. Thankfully, a tankless water heater is very small when compared to a traditional water heater. Tankless water heaters are about the size of a large shoe box, and you can mount them on the wall, so they don't take up floor space.
When you can use the space that your old water tank used to occupy, you can leave items like towels and linens in your vacation home. You may also have an easier time decorating without a water tank in the way.
4. Unlimited Hot Water
Do you bring a lot of guests with you to your vacation home? If so, you've probably had to take a cold shower after everyone used up the limited hot water in your tank. This won't be a problem with a tankless water heater.
A tankless water heater heats water continuously and on-demand. You could have guests showering all day, and each one would get an equally warm and enjoyable shower. This is certainly an asset if your vacation home is in a chilly climate. This benefit may even prompt you to invite more guests along to your vacation home, which can make for a more enjoyable holiday.
Of course, there is a limit on how much water a tankless water can heat at once, so keep this in mind as you choose a unit. For example, a model that heats 4 gallons a minute provides enough water to keep one shower and one additional appliance running at the same time, whereas a 7-gallon-per-minute model can supply two showers and one appliance simultaneously.
If you're in need of a new water heater, then contact Universal Plumbing Supply Co. We carry both tank and tankless models for residential and commercial use.
