If “lower monthly bills” is on your New Year’s wish list, your water heater deserves a closer look. After all, hot water quietly powers a lot of daily life—showers, dishwashing, laundry, handwashing—so when your system is outdated or inefficient, it can drain your budget without making much noise. Upgrading to a high-efficiency water heater, especially a tankless model, is one of the most practical home improvements for cutting costs while boosting comfort.
How Older Water Heaters Cost More
Traditional storage-tank water heaters keep a large volume of water hot 24/7. Even when you’re sleeping, out to dinner, or away for the weekend, the unit cycles on and off to maintain temperature. That “always-on” behavior is called standby heat loss, and it’s a big reason older tanks can feel like a constant expense. If your water heater is 10–12 years old, it may also be running with worn heating elements, sediment buildup, or insulation that simply doesn’t perform like newer systems. The result: higher energy use for the same amount of hot water.
Tankless Water Heaters: Pay for Hot Water Only When You Use It
A tankless water heater heats water on demand. Turn on a faucet, and the unit kicks in to warm water as it flows through. Turn the faucet off, and energy use drops back down. Because there’s no tank sitting there losing heat all day, many households see meaningful reductions in energy consumption—especially if they currently have an older storage-tank unit.
For Gibsonia homeowners, that “on demand” approach can translate to savings in a few ways:
- Lower energy bills: Less wasted heat means you’re not paying to keep unused water hot.
- Fewer surprise “running out” moments: With proper sizing, you get continuous hot water, which can reduce the temptation to crank up the temperature or run multiple reheats.
- Long-term value: Tankless units often last longer than standard tank models, which can improve the return on your investment over time.
High-Efficiency Doesn’t Have to Mean Tankless Only
Tankless gets a lot of attention (and for good reason), but it’s not the only route to savings. High-efficiency storage tanks have better insulation and smarter controls than older models. Heat pump and solar water heaters can be especially efficient in the right setup. The best choice depends on your home’s layout, fuel type, and hot water habits.
How to Maximize Savings in Your Gibsonia Home
No matter which high-efficiency option you choose, a few practical steps can increase the payoff:
- Correct system size. Oversized means unnecessary costs; undersized can mean frustration.
- Fix hot-water “leaks” in habits. Low-flow showerheads, shorter showers, and cold-water laundry loads add up. We can help to set your water heater and appliances correctly.
- Insulate and maintain. Pipe insulation and periodic maintenance help any system perform better.
- Consider rebates and incentives. Depending on the product and timing, you may find utility or manufacturer incentives that improve the economics.
Savings are often the product of calculated decisions. This means spending money now on repairs or replacement to save more money in the future, or doing routine tasks like scheduling maintenance to keep things running longer and more efficiently. Work with us to maximize your comfort, efficiency, and savings.
Contact Kennihan Plumbing & Heating, Inc. today to schedule an appointment with our professionals. We treat your home like it’s our grandma’s home.