Why are electric tankless water heaters a good idea? If you are planning a new construction, and are planning to use alternative renewable energy sources, they can be the best appliances to buy. When you are going completely off of the grid, and not have to rely on any kind of fossil fuels, why bother with the expense of a gas heater?

The big differences with electric tankless water heaters is that you only use electricity when you need hot water. With a tank heater, the tank has to maintain constant temperature all the time, whether you are using it or not. A tankless water heater doesn’t use a conventional tank, what happens is that the water runs through coils inside the unit, with an heating coil heating the water. It comes on when a flow switch is tripped, and when you stop using the water, and the flow stops, the heating elements stops working.

Another really good reason electric tankless water heaters are a good idea is space. With a tank heater, no matter how small the tank may be, you still have a large bulky tank, that not only takes up space, but has to be placed in a sturdy area, usually in a basement or utility room. This can often be far away from the source of the need. With a tankless water heater, you can not only place them in tight spaces, but you can place them wherever needed, like under a kitchen sink.

There are many different manufacturers of electric tankless hot water heaters, with PowerStar, Bosch, and Watts being among the top brands. Many of these water heaters are below what a tank style heater would cost. For example, the PowerStar 1.5GPM Point of use electric tankless water heater has a 1.5gpm output, can supply hot water to one appliance at a time, and comes with a 5 year warranty. It’s just over a foot high, and weighs just 6 pounds, ideal for any small space. It retails for under $250 and can be found at one of the leading home improvement outlets.

When buying electric tankless water heaters, it is important that you really check around with many dealers. You may even want to go to a local outlet, if nothing else than to see the products they have available to give you an idea of what will best suit your needs. This is also a perfect opportunity to speak to someone in person, who can answer all of your questions right away. You will want to get one with the highest manufacturer’s warranty, and the price difference is minimal. You can visit a price comparison website, which can be extremely helpful, but you will still need to check with each site for any hidden fees.

Many website dealers offer free shipping on electric tankless water heaters, but you can’t assume that they will. Prices may not include taxes and any surcharges. Make sure you are aware of any return policies each site will have, you may find that you will have to cover return charges if there is a problem.