20 March 2017

Tankless Water Heaters Need Soft Water

Tankless water heaters, or on-demand water heaters, are becoming quite popular with progressive-technology homeowners. Tankless water heaters only heat water that is needed, quickly, and the majority are high-efficiency. While tankless water heaters can deliver an unlimited amount of hot water, there's a limit to how much water can be delivered at once.

The biggest benefit offered by tankless water heaters is less energy consumption. Also, according to some of their warranty averages, they may last longer than traditional water heaters.

Tankless water heaters get mounted on a wall and they provide an unlimited supply of hot water. “You can take a five-hour shower and you'll never run out of hot water.”1

The most obvious drawback to a tankless water heater is the higher cost for both the unit and the installation. One of the least talked about “drawbacks to tankless water heaters is that hard water destroys them." Malfunctions caused by lime, mineral build-up, or scale are not covered by manufacturers warranties.”1 One model’s owner’s manual says that water hardness levels must not exceed 7 grains per gallon. Hard water is hard on all water heaters, but it's especially hard on tankless water heaters.

Source: http://www.startribune.com/water-heater-replacement-pros-and-cons-of-tankless-water-heaters/415549394/