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If your furnace is on its last legs this is a great time to look at energy saving options for heating water and your home. John Magro, a service technician with 20/20 Air, is a big fan of the new tankless systems. I service a lot of these units, he says, and Im going to be putting one into my own home soon.
If you have the typical set up for homes in our area, you probably have a large furnace that guzzles oil, one or more oil tanks as well as a large tank full of hot water. Your furnace fires up at intervals throughout the day and night to keep the water in the tank at a set level. As you use the hot water, the furnace goes into action again to heat up more water. Its a bit like keeping a kettle boiling all day long in case you feel like a cup of tea.
Tankless water heaters, which run on gas, have been around for a while but they are rapidly gaining in popularity. With this system, a small (about two feet by three feet) unit is mounted on the wall and vented to the outside of your home. When you turn on a hot water faucet or turn up the thermostat, the unit fires up and heats the water. When you turn off the faucet or the set room temperature is reached, the unit shuts down. It supplies endless hot water because there is no tank to empty. This is great news for households with multiple females in residence.
Ask your plumber or heating contractor about tankless systems. Youll love the lower utility bills and you wont have all those big tanks taking up space in your basement.
Do you know anyone with a tankless hot water system? Id love to hear some opinions. Email me at fpearson@mainstreetconnect.us.
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