Sooner or later it will be time to invest in a new water heater for your home. Tank water heaters used to be the only option for homeowners, but now tankless water heaters are gaining popularity. Before you choose one type or the other, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each water heater.
Tankless water heaters do offer an impressive list of benefits, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for your home and family. If you’re interested in a tankless water heater, our experts can visit your home for a free consultation to help you understand the installation process.
How Tank and Tankless Water Heaters Work
More traditional water heaters have a large tank to store water and heat it for your use. As the tank empties, water gets replenished and heated for future use. When the tank runs out of water you have to wait for it to fill up and heat again before you have another supply of hot water. If you use a lot of hot water, you may choose a larger tank – perhaps 80 gallons instead of a smaller 40-gallon tank.
A tankless water heater works differently by only heating water on demand. When you turn on a hot water faucet in your home or an appliance needs hot water, the tankless water heater turns on to heat water for that need. When the faucet is turned off the tankless system stops heating.
Benefits of a Tankless Water Heater
The greatest benefit of a tankless water heater is the endless hot water supply. You’re not limited by the size of a water tank that stores hot water. With a tank water heater, you can wait 40 to 60 minutes for a 40-gallon tank to refill or 60 to 70 minutes for an 80-gallon tank to refill. You don’t have that problem with a tankless system. Other tankless benefits include:
- Save space – A tankless system is very compact, so you can win back the space where your water tank would be in a garage or closet. That means more storage space for your home!
- Reduce energy use – A traditional water tank heats water around the clock so that hot water is available when you need it. A tankless water heater saves energy by only working when hot water is needed.
- Use less water – A tankless system can also use less water than a traditional water heater. Instead of maintaining a supply of water, you’re only using water as you need it.
- Longer lifespan – Traditional water heaters can usually last around ten years – maybe longer if they are well maintained. A tankless water heater has a lifespan that is 20 years or more.
Downsides of a Tankless Water Heater
Tankless water heaters also have some negatives compared to tank alternatives. With a tank water heater, you can have multiple sources using hot water at once and each one will receive the same temperature of water.
A tankless water heater is also more expensive to install. While the upfront expense is higher, you can easily recoup this investment over time in energy and water savings. Plus, your tankless water heater stands to last twice as long as a traditional tank alternative.
Keep in mind that tankless water heaters require maintenance just like tank water heaters do. It’s possible for the minerals in hard water to build up inside your tankless system and require flushing. If you don’t invest in this maintenance then your tankless water heater may not heat water as well or last as long.
Contact Ace Plumbing and Heating today to schedule an appointment for your plumbing needs. Happy Today or You Don’t Pay!