It's vital to think ahead when considering a major appliance replacement for your business. After all, a short-sighted investment in an inferior product could cost you as much down the road, if not more, than selecting the premium model. That's why it's so important to weigh long-term performance, likely maintenance needs and expected service life of several appliances before making a final decision. In terms of the necessary task of heating water for your business, assessment of these factors all seem to point in one direction: the value of going tankless.

Whether its by reducing your costs via sustainable performance or helping to improve your brand in the mind of sustainability-driven customers, the long-term benefits of investing in a high-performance electric tankless water heater are one of the appliance's defining perks. Take a closer look at how a standard water heater fares along its lifetime when compared to a 99 percent thermal efficient tankless model. The comparison demonstrates why compact tankless water heaters give your business a competitive edge for years to come.

Tankless models offer extended performance with less maintenance
The first factor that comes to mind when examining long-term performance is length of service life and maintenance costs, and in both cases tankless makes more sense for commercial applications. While standard water heaters can see significant efficiency declines within the first 10 years of use, high-performance tankless water heaters are designed to provide the same performance for at least a decade. In some instances, tankless water heaters have been known to run for 20 years.

One reason that standard water heaters typically run for a shorter period of time is because they eventually experience mineral buildup and corrosion. Once the inside of a water tank begins to wear away, the maintenance calls will start to increase in regularity. Tankless models, on the other hand, are designed to prevent this buildup from occurring in the first place. With fewer maintenance concerns to worry about, your business can enjoy relief from routine repairs and loss of hot water service.

Ensure visitors are washing their hands and face in safety by going tankless.

Going tankless takes care of a preventable safety risks
Another factor to consider when weighing the long term value of standard and tankless water heaters is potential worst case scenarios when it comes to safety. In some cases, standard water heaters have been known to burst or explode if maintenance falls far enough behind, according to This Old House. Both scenarios of these unfortunate incidents could result serious health risks for your customers and your staff.

You should also consider temperature control when evaluating the long-term advantages of tankless and standard heaters. High-performance tankless models have heat controls integrated into their design, making it a cinch to ensure that the water temperature being delivered to your facility's sinks and other points of use are at a safe, comfortable temperature.

Innovative designs provide insurance against compliance issues
The same built-in functionality that help tankless water heaters deliver water to your facility's points of use at a controlled temperature can also help your facility pass compliance standards that require such controls for public hand washing stations. Standard water heaters can be customized to include such controls, but these retrofits are also likely to compromise the overall efficiency of your entire plumbing system. That's just another reason why tankless water heaters provide superior service long-term over their bulkier counterparts. With the cost of standard heaters on the rise, there's never been a better time for your company to go tankless.