One of the most common questions we hear, when it comes to water heaters, is if tankless water heaters are good in cold climates. As we know, Buffalo, NY, for a lot of the year, can be rather cold, so this is a very relevant question. Tankless water heaters have grown in popularity over the past few years and the trend is expected to continue. If you are a Buffalo homeowner thinking about investing in one of these energy efficient and on demand units, we are going to review if they are good solution for our colder weather.

What are Tankless Water Heaters?

If you haven’t heard of tankless water heaters, or demand-type water heaters, we have got you covered. To start, this type of water heater essentially does the same thing as a standard water heater, as in it supplies warm water to you and your family throughout your home.

Now, where they differ. Tankless water heaters take up a lot less space than standard water heaters. Unlike regular hot water heaters that store and heat the water, with tankless water heaters, the water is not kept in the water heater. Instead, when you turn on the hot water, cold water travels through the plumbing and into the tankless water heater unit where it is heated by a gas burner or an electric element. This creates a constant supply of hot water.

On average, tankless water heaters provide hot water at a rate of 2 to 5 gallons per minute. There are many other benefits of tankless water heaters that we have reviewed before.

Are Tankless Water Heaters Good In Cold Climates?

Now let’s get down to answering the question that you are here for. Are tankless water heaters good in cold climates? The answer is yes. These types of water heaters are good in both warm and cold weather climates as long as they are sized appropriately for your home and use the right type of energy to heat the water.

Because we live in a colder climate area, a gas tankless unit is a much better option than an electric model because gas heated tankless water heaters produce higher flow rates than their electric counterparts. This means that electric tankless water heaters might struggle to heat water during cold weather. Whether a water heater is tankless or not, electric water heaters don’t heat water as quickly or efficiently as their gas counterparts. 

As referenced above, to keep your home’s water comfortable in cold weather, be sure to install the correct size tankless water heater in your home and try to opt for a gas unit. A professional plumber can help you find the right size for your home. They will look at a couple of factors to find the size you need; flow rate and how much a heater will need to work to raise the temperature of water in your home.

Ready for a Tankless Water Heater in Your Buffalo, NY Home?

Because tankless water heaters are energy efficient, have a long lifespan, can provide hot water on demand, take up little space, and are safer than traditional water heaters, many Buffalo homeowners are turning to them as a solution for hot water throughout their homes. Did we mention that according to Energy.gov, tankless water heaters can be 24% to 34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters?

Tankless water heaters are good in cold climates as long as you find one best suited for your home. Reimer Home Services can help. At Reimer, we install these advanced, energy efficient systems. We’re your team for tankless water heater installation in Buffalo and Western New York.

If your home already has a tankless water heater, trust our plumbers to repair and service it. We’re available day or night for tankless water heater repair near Buffalo and in Erie County.

To get started, call us or request service online.