I looked into going tankless a year or two back and found it not to be cost effective at this time, due to the extra cost of tankless units and the relocation of venting, plumbing, etc that would be necessary.
Additionally, something that most people overlook is the extra maintenance involved with tankless. Since they have water running through small pipes to be heated, calcium and other mineral buildup must be removed regularly:
I asked my plumber about this and he said yes, they should be cleaned every couple of years and he would charge about $200 to do it. That adds up quick.
I’m sure it could be done on your own, but it didn’t sound simple from what I read online – at least not as simple as connecting a hose and turning on the spigot which is what I do on my own to flush my hot water heater tank now.
