A: Hi, Betty. Unfortunately your friend is a little confused. Yes, a tankless hot water heater does heat up water quickly as it passes through the unit. However, just like a standard tank water heater, once the hot water enters your plumbing water piping it still has to make the same journey through your house piping before it gets to your second floor fixtures. So, you will still have to run the water a bit to clear out any cooler water that is still in your hot water lines.

A licensed plumber can install a domestic re-circulating hot water system to your present tank type water heater, and this could be a better option for you. These re-circulating systems constantly move hot water from the tank to the fixtures, giving you quick access to hot water for sinks and showers. But, it can be a little pricey to install and run this type of system. I would meet with a plumber for an estimate -- and who knows, you may "warm up" to the idea of adding a hot water circulator system to your home.