Posted on Feb 21, 2012 | 3 comments

Is a tankless life expectancy higher than a conventional tank water heater? IT MOST CERTAINLY IS….

Tankless water heaters heat water as you need it rather than a traditional storage system that heats an entire storage tank of water continuously. A tankless not only saves energy, but also space, as they can simply be hung on the wall. Tankless systems have a significantly longer life span than tank-style systems, and thus their warranties are much different than that of a conventional tank. Below we go into some of the details on water heaters, warranties, and tankless life expectancy..

Tankless Water Heater Warranties

A tankless water heater warranty normally covers the heat exchanger and then the parts separately. The tank on a tank-style water heater is like the heat exchanger on a tankless system.  Typical tankless warranties on most brands cover the heat exchanger for 10 years and the rest of the parts for three to five years.

A tankless water heater system is expected to last 20 years and has a lifespan of at least this long.  As a general rule manufacturers of all products, not just tankless water heaters, typically set their warranties at half of the products expected life span. The warranty of your refridgerator, for examples, is about half of its life expectancy.

One advantage of a tankless system is that parts are replaceable, so even if the heat exchanger fails after its warranty period, you can still buy a new heat exchanger.  If a tank type water heater has a failure, you do not have this option are are stuck with purchasing a whole new system.

Tankless Water Heater Warranties

A tankless water heater warranty normally covers the heat exchanger and then the parts separately. The tank on a tank-style water heater is like the heat exchanger on a tankless system.  Typical tankless warranties on most brands cover the heat exchanger for 10 years and the rest of the parts for three to five years.

A tankless water heater system is expected to last 20 years and has a lifespan of at least this long.  As general rule manufacturers of all products, not just tankless water heaters, typically set their warranties at half that of the products expected life span. The warranty of your refrigerator, for examples, is about half of its life expectancy.

One advantage of a tankless system is that parts are replaceable, so even if the heat exchanger fails after its warranty period, you can still buy a new heat exchanger.  If a tank type water heater has a failure, you do not have this option are stuck with purchasing a whole new system.

Factors That Can Determine a Tankless System’s Life expectancy

Period of time – While the average conventional tank system typically lasts 10-15 years (and maintains efficiency for 10-12 years), a tankless system is expected to last at least 20 years. That lifespan can potentially be extended even further by replacing the heat exchanger rather than the whole unit.

Maintenance – As with any product, regular maintenance is necessary in order to reach and surpass the maximum life span. Have your tankless system cleaned periodically by a service technician who will use a flush kit.  We, and most manufactures, highly recommended this process be done on an annual basis (it can be done by you at home).  As build-up of scale and debris forms on the inside of your tankless it becomes less efficient, the same occurs with on the heating elements of your conventional tank.  The tankless has all this build-up removed and efficiency renewed with the flushing process, your conventional tank can’t be flushed and simple needs to be replaced.  Engineers have spent a lot of time ensuring that a tankless remains extremely efficient and experience an extended lifespan.

Water – The kind of water flowing through your tankless can play a major part in the life span of your tankless.  If your water is too acidic it can eat away at the pipes and heat exchanger that are part of tankless.  Acidic water should be treated anyways as it is not healthy for you or your family.  If it is too hard, you will experience additional scale build-up in the heat exchanger but this can simply be removed with additional flushings.

Toronto Tankless Installation  – A correct installation is key to a tankless system’s life span, gas pipes need to be sized correctly and hot water use estimated properly.  Some tankless systems can be installed outdoors, but you have to make sure that the freeze protection safeguard works properly, and you must be aware that if the power goes out the freeze protection system can fail.  Correctly sizing the appropriate unit for your home will ensure that a tankless remains an efficient, effective, seamless system that provides all the hot water you need.

If you have any questions regarding tankless water heater warranties and life expectancy, call us 647-925-1930