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Can You Run Out of Hot Water With a Tankless Water Heater?

Many homeowners rave about their tankless water heaters. These tankless systems are known for providing an endless supply of hot water and don’t require bulky storage tanks that take a long time to heat up. Plus, tankless water heaters tend to be more energy efficient than tank water heaters, which can translate to energy savings over time.

If it’s time to replace the water heater in your home, you might have multiple questions about switching to a tankless unit. For example: does a tankless water heater run out of hot water?

Although these systems are designed to provide continuous hot water, you can run out of hot water with a tankless water heater depending on a few factors. We’ll discuss this topic in more detail below.

How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?

Before getting into the nitty-gritty, it’s important to understand how a tankless water heater works. Unlike a traditional water heater that stores water, tankless units only heat water when needed. It’s also worth mentioning that tankless water heaters run on natural gas or electricity, so you can choose a fuel type that fits your needs.

Tankless systems have many crucial components — such as flow sensors, burners, and heat exchangers — that are needed for producing hot water.

Use this guide to learn more about what a tankless water heater goes through to provide you with hot water:

Does a Tankless Water Heater Run Out of Hot Water?

There’s no better feeling than jumping into the shower and receiving hot water on demand. Unfortunately, you can run out of hot water with a tankless water heater if the system is improperly sized for your home.

When installing a water heater, ensuring that the unit can accommodate your hot water demand is vital. If the water heater you install is too small to meet your needs, you can end up overwhelming the unit by running multiple faucets, showers, or appliances at the same time.

If you have an undersized water heater, it won’t be able to heat water fast enough to send it to your fixtures and appliances simultaneously. As a result, you can end up with cold water in your shower or when you’re washing dishes in the kitchen sink.

How to Size a Tankless Water Heater

If you wish to install a tankless water heater that can accommodate all of your hot water needs, you’ll want to work with professional water heater installers. A team of experts will know how to accurately size the unit.

The professional installer must calculate how much hot water your household uses to determine the right flow rate for your water heater. A water heater’s “flow rate” measures the amount of water the unit can deliver (in gallons per minute).

Sure, you can run out of hot water with a tankless water heater — but that’s only if the unit is sized wrong. When you schedule a professional water heater installation in Tucson with a trusted technician, you don’t have to worry about encountering this problem.

Does a tankless water heater run out of hot water for any other reason? Fortunately, the answer is no. You can typically count on your tankless unit to supply you with hot water when you need it, which is one of the many perks they offer homeowners.

Contact the Water Heater Experts at Rite Way AC!

So, does a tankless water heater run out of hot water? Really, the answer to this question can be “yes” and “no.” You can run out of hot water with a tankless water heater when the unit is improperly sized. However, you won’t experience this problem when you install a tankless unit with a professional installer.

If you’re ready to install a tankless water heater, turn to Rite Way AC! Our technicians in Tucson, AZ, can help you find the perfect solution for your hot water needs. We offer everything from tankless hot water heater repairs to replacements to ensure that you always receive reliable, heated water. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!