Tankless Water Heaters in Tampa are Becoming More Popular
The energy a water heater uses in a Tampa home can account for 20% of the total energy bill. This is one of the primary reasons why tankless water heaters have become so popular in the Tampa Bay region. It saves a lot of energy over a traditional tank type water heater because you don’t have to constantly heat a 50 to 70 gallon tank of water.
The Benefits of Tankless Heaters
Tankless heaters have one big advantage over traditional ones—they provide hot water on demand instead of using a storage tank that can only hold a limited amount of water at once. This also makes them more energy-efficient because they only use the energy needed to heat enough water for immediate use. And, the lack of sitting water in a tank prevents some of the buildup of mineral deposits that are found to exist in traditional heaters with tanks.
The Benefits of Water Softeners
Water softener systems stop the buildup of mineral deposits, especially magnesium and calcium. They work by swapping magnesium and calcium ions for sodium ones. This process of swapping minerals involves polystyrene beads, which carry a negative charge and attract the positively-charged magnesium and calcium ions. Sodium ions, also positively-charged, then move into the water and take the place of the magnesium and calcium, leaving your water clear of harmful minerals.
Tampa Bay Homeowners That Don’t Have Water Softeners
Tampa Bay homeowners that do not have a water softener suffer the following issues:
- Yellowed clothing
- Skin infections
- Bad-tasting water
- Clogged pipes
- Higher utility bills
- Film and scale buildup on bathroom fixtures
The Tampa Hard Water Problem
Throughout the Tampa Bay region hard water is the most common water problem found in the home. According to the Water Quality Association of the United States, hard water is water that contains dissolved hardness minerals above 1 GPG (grains per gallon). The hardness of Tampa’s drinking water, primarily taken from the Hillsborough River, fluctuates throughout the year (lower during the wet season and higher in the dry season) between about 140 to 300 parts per million or 8 to 17 grains per gallon (one grain per gallon equals 17.2 parts per million).
Why All Water Heaters in Tampa Bay Need a Water Softener
Tampa hard water is hard on all water heaters (including traditional tank-type), but it’s especially hard on tankless water heaters. In fact, without a water softener, over time, Tampa’s hard water will destroy a tankless water heater. Malfunctions caused by lime, mineral build-up, or scale are not covered by manufacturers warranties.
Bacteria that grows from the mineral deposits in your water heater can also cause damage to it—and to your pipes. So, pairing a water softener system with a tankless water heater is the best way to prevent mineral buildup, and its host of plumbing problems for Tampa Bay homeowners. If you currently, have a tankless water heater and no water softener, call the plumbing professionals at Cass Plumbing right away and we will be out to install one immediately.
The Long-Term Benefits of Bundling a Water Softener with Your Water Heater
When you bundle together a tankless water heater and a water softener system, you will see some immediate benefits in your home, like easier-to-clean bathroom fixtures and better tasting water. But you’ll also be getting two long-term advantages:
- Extend the Life of Your Tankless Water Heater & a Traditional Water Heater : Mineral buildup in a water heater can cause clogs and overheating, which creates excessive wear on your water heater. A water softener can prevent any clogs caused by minerals, and prevent those same minerals from blocking and coating heating elements, extending the life of your water heater.
- Save Energy and Money: When mineral deposits clog up a drain, water can’t move through the piping, and the water heater has to work harder to push it through. This means it’s using more energy than necessary to do its job. Overworking the heating element will also cause a heater to use excessive energy—and this all adds up to high energy bills. Water softeners keep tankless water heaters operating efficiently by helping to maintain the health of pipes and heating elements, and making sure they stay clear of deposits.
Here in Hillsborough County, it’s hard to ignore our hard water problem. If you invest in a more energy-efficient water heater, like a tankless one, you should also consider protecting that investment from unnecessary wear and tear by including a water softener system that can break down the damaging heavy minerals in our water. And, while it’s true that tankless water heaters are more expensive than traditional ones with tanks, the advantages, both immediate and long-term, can definitely outweigh the cost when paired with a water softener that prolongs its life while providing you and your family cleaner, healthier water in your home.
Wondering if a tankless heater and water softener system bundle is the right fit for your Tampa home? Get in touch with the professionals at Cass Plumbing of Tampa Bay today for trusted advice, and warrantied professional installation of tankless water heaters & water softeners.
