Drive cross-country with a tankless water heater in your RV

So you've just bought a shiny new recreational vehicle and you're ready to stretch its legs on the wide open highways that run across the U.S. A cross-country trip isn't just a great way to see all the local sights that you miss on a flight, it's also one of the best ways to spend quality time and create new memories with your family or significant other.

However, showering in an RV can be less than a five star hotel experience. If you've been wanting to take another road trip but haven't been able to bring yourself to deal with hot water cutting out as soon as you step into the shower, then you might want to look into gas or electric tankless water heaters to make your RV a comfortable place – no matter what highway you're on.

Tankless saves size
By far, the biggest concern when driving an RV across the country is space. There's a finite amount of storage space on the average vehicle, and each extra suitcase or duffel bag chews away at it. As you add more weight, you also decrease the fuel efficiency of your RV – while no motor home is going to rival a Prius's mileage, you need all the savings you can get when you're driving from coast to coast.

Unfortunately, standard RV water heaters use a large reservoir to heat and store water until you need it. According to RV self-help site Fun Times Guide, most RVs come equipped with a 6-gallon heater. If this sounds like a lot, it isn't – by the time you've used the soap and maybe some shampoo, you'll be covered in unpleasantly cold water. Even larger tanks might not be able to provide enough heat to a family of four if everyone needs a shower in the morning, and unless you have the largest RV in the world, you won't have the space to buy a bigger heater.

Gas or electric tankless water heaters save space and deliver hot water on demand. With some models no bigger than an average suitcase, these units can be installed against walls or within interior compartments of your RV. As long as tankless heaters are hooked up to water and power supplies, they can deliver constant and continuous warmth regardless of how many people need to take a shower.

Think about supply lines
The phrase "supply line" is generally only applied to armies at war or trade caravans crossing the desert, but if you have a standard water heater in your RV, sooner or later you'll be thinking about the nearest place to get propane. DoItYourselfRV.com explained that if you're going "boondocking" – an RV term for extended road trips without a single destination in mind – you'll have to plan out where and when to stop to refill your propane tanks. Otherwise, you'll be stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing to keep you company but your own body odor.

Who wants to spend their vacation looking up home improvement and propane fueling stores? Tankless water heaters can be connected directly to your RV's electric or gas lines for ease of use, which saves you massive headaches down the road.

If you've been putting off a big RV trip just because you don't want to put up with your finicky shower, install a gas or electric tankless water heater today and see for yourself the difference it makes. You might find yourself zipping across the American heartland with nothing further from your mind than if your water heater will work tonight.