# The Environmental Benefits of Tankless Water Heaters - Link: https://alpscomfortair.com/the-environmental-benefits-of-tankless-water-heaters/ - Published: 2024-10-04T19:43:25+00:00 - Author: alpscomfortEditor When the time comes to replace your home’s water heater, it’s well worth considering upgrading to a tankless unit instead of just installing a new tank water heater. Tank water heaters aren’t necessarily a bad choice since they are relatively inexpensive, but they do take up quite a bit of space and don’t come anywhere near competing with the benefits tankless water heaters provide. One of the biggest benefits of tankless water heaters is that they’re more environmentally friendly. Here we’ll explore the reasons why that is. ## High Efficiency Most tankless water heaters are extremely efficient and typically use around 10%- 30% less energy than conventional storage tank water heaters. This is especially the case for gas condensing units, which are usually around 95% efficient. The higher efficiency and reduced energy usage mean that opting for a gas tankless water heater will almost always reduce your carbon footprint. That is compared to if your home had a conventional storage tank water heater. While a tankless unit will cost you more upfront, it’s always going to be the cheaper option in the long term due to how much less energy it will use. You also won’t have to replace your water heater as often since a tankless unit will usually last at least 20-25 years, whereas a tank unit will usually only last eight to 15 years. ## Reduced Energy Waste One of the biggest benefits of tankless water heaters is that they waste very little energy when compared to tank units. All tank water heaters waste quite a bit of energy due to an issue known as standby heat loss. Despite the fact that any hot water storage tank is insulated, some heat still escapes through the tank. That means the hot water slowly cools down over time and eventually reaches a point where the water heater has to turn on and start reheating the water. This often results in the water heater running for around two to three hours per day even in situations where the house is unoccupied and no hot water has been used. If you have a tankless water heater, it won’t ever run except when you’re currently using hot water. That’s because tankless units only run on demand, so there’s no need to worry about any heat loss or energy waste. Gas tankless units still waste a bit of energy simply because they aren’t 100% efficient, but the amount of energy waste is still much less than it is with tank units. Electric tankless units, on the other hand, waste almost no energy since most of them have a thermal efficiency of around 99%. That means almost all of the electricity they use is directly converted into heat that then flows out into the water as it moves through the unit. ## Zero Carbon Emissions This last benefit is only true for electric tankless water heaters since any gas unit still produces some carbon emissions just like any other gas-burning appliance. That means opting for an electric tankless unit can be an even better way to lower your carbon footprint and reduce the environmental impact of your home’s hot water system. Electric tank water heaters obviously don’t produce any carbon emissions either, but they still have a much greater environmental impact due to them using much more energy. If you opt to install point-of-use tankless units instead of a whole-home unit, you’ll also be able to conserve water. With a whole-home unit, you’ll often need to wait at least 30 seconds to a minute before the water flowing out of your sink or shower gets fully hot. Point-of-use units are installed close to each place you need hot water, i.e. the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room. The close proximity ensures hot water starts flowing almost immediately so that less water is wasted. ## Contact Us Today For the past 45 years, Alps Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. has been helping residents in Anaheim and throughout Orange County with [maximizing energy efficiency](https://alpscomfortair.com/energy-efficiency/) for all of their home comfort and water heater needs. If you need to install a new water heater, we’ll happily advise you about all of your options. We install tankless and storage tank water heaters and will work with you to ensure whichever unit you choose is fully capable of meeting your home’s hot water requirements. As the area’s leading HVAC company, you can also trust us if you need any air conditioning or heating repairs, maintenance or installation. To schedule a consultation with one of our [water heater experts](https://alpscomfortair.com/water-heater-installation-anaheim-ca/) and learn more about your replacement options, contact us today.