Traditional VS. Tankless Water Heater
When deciding between water heater tanks there are two different types to choose from. The more traditional is the storage tank; the modern one is tankless. Both are just as good as the other. There are still a few key differences that may swing your opinion.
Traditional Water Heater
These are the most common type of water heater due to their affordability, and amount of hot water available. The traditional storage model has a tank, with the average tank size being about 50 gallons. You want to make sure you have the right size tank for your household size. If the tank is too small, you will likely run out of hot water.
Traditional water heater tanks are heated by either natural gas, electricity, fuel oil or propane. They all heat the water at all times and keep the storage tank full of warm water. Traditional water heaters heat the water to about 120 degrees.
Benefits and Disadvantages
The main benefit for a traditional storage tank model is lower initial cost to buy and install. They are also easier to repair and maintain than their tankless counterparts.
However, they are not as energy efficient as the tankless water heaters, meaning with the traditional water heaters your bill will be higher. If you live where there are cold winters, you may experience even higher bills as your water heater needs to work harder during those months.
The lifespan of a traditional water heater is about 10-15 years, which is quite a bit less than the tankless option.
Tankless Water Heaters
A tankless water heater does not store water in its tank, meaning it’s a lot smaller than the traditional models. It works by bringing water through the unit and using a heat exchanger. They typically use gas or electricity to heat the water as it passes through.
Benefits and Disadvantages
The main benefit of using a tankless water heater is the energy savings. Depending on water usage you can save about 24% on your energy costs. Which means cheaper bills and better for the environment.
They do also take up less space, so if you are living in a home with limited space, saving a few feet could make a big difference in the functionality of your home.
Another big benefit to the tankless water heater is that hot water is more on demand than compared to the traditional models. There is generally no waiting for water to heat up.
There is a longer lifespan with the tankless models than the traditional one, which means the money you spend could be worth it.
However, the start up costs for the tankless model are a lot higher. The tankless model itself is more expensive, and generally requires a small repipe to be installed.
If you are using hot water in multiple locations around your home, like someone taking a shower and running the dishwasher, you might run out of hot water.
Final Thoughts
No matter what model you choose, you will make a good choice. The traditional tank models are more affordable with hot water at the ready for you. While the more expensive tankless models can save you a lot of money on your utility bills.
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