Tankless vs. Tank Water Heater

There are two types of hot water heater systems that are commonly used within the area, tankless hot water heaters and tank hot water heaters. It is important that you know your options and what type of water heater will work best for your home.

Tankless Hot Water Heater

A tankless water heater only heats the water that you need, when you need it. The water is heated as it passes through the system. One of the best things about a tankless water heater is that they need less space for storage. Although they are more expensive, they are smaller and more energy efficient.

Pros

• Compact Tankless water heaters are compact and allow for easy storage. The unit can be mounted to a wall or hidden in the sink or closet.
• Saves Energy Only water that is passing through the system gets heated when you turn the hot water tap on.
• Instant hot water Tankless hot water heaters provide hot water instantly when you need it.
• Durable The lifespan of a tankless hot water heater lasts about 20 years where as the traditional hot water heater lasts about half that time. Repair parts can extent the life for even more years.

Cons

• Expensive Tankless hot water heaters run more expensive that a traditional tank. Not only do they cost more but it is more expensive to install, repair and maintain.
• Limited output Tankless hot water heaters can only produce so much hot water per minute.
• Difficult Installation Special ventilation is needed for tankless hot water heaters, sometimes existing gas lines and ducts are not adequate, needing extra work during the install.
• Require Electricity It is common for tankless hot water heaters to have electrical controls meaning during a power outage you won’t have hot water.

Tank Hot Water Heater

A traditional tank hot water heater has a large tank that heats and stores water until you use the hot water faucet. The unit is large enough to hold anywhere from 20 to 80 gallons of water at a time. The water is constantly heated and stored inside the tank, even if you are not using it. When you turn on the hot water tap the water will flow from the tank to the point of use then fill again with new water. Modern tank hot water heaters are more efficient than ever allowing you to further boost the efficiency with which it stores hot water.

Pros

• Price Tank hot water heaters comes with a smaller price tag along with cheaper installation, repair and maintenance.
• Installation Tank hot water heaters are easy to install and is a fairly quick process.
• Easy to replace Less installation requirements, less can go wrong. Tank hot water heaters are easy to install and easy to replace when it’s time.

Cons

• Size Tank hot water heaters are big and take up a lot of room in your home. Most houses have a specific closet or room that they store their tank water heater in.
• Run out of hot water Since the tank can only hold so much water, once the tank is empty, you will have to wait for a new tank of water to warm up.
• Higher utility bill Regardless of you water use, tank hot water heaters heat and reheat the water inside at a pre-set temperature.
• Shorter life Lasts 10-15 years. You would have to buy a tank hot water heater twice as often as you would a tankless one.