The water heater for your home is an essential part of the house. It ensures that every morning you have a hot shower or a warm bath to relax after a tough day. The homeowners of today have a choice in what kind of water heater they are installing in their home. Both tankless and tanked water heaters have advantages and disadvantages attached to them, so it is important to weigh each appliance's advantages and disadvantages before deciding which one is right for your home.
There are two basic types of water heaters: water heaters tankless and water heaters tanked (or stored). Most water heaters found in today's homes are tanked systems that store water in an isolated tank. Tanked systems can hold between 20 and 120 gallons of water, which is heated using heating elements powered by either electric or gas. Water heaters tanked work by allowing cold water through the bottom to enter the unit. This water is then heated inside the tank and passed through the top of the unit to the pipes of your home. Usually mounted on the floor, this type of hot water heater is about 60 inches tall and 24 inches wide.
Tankless systems, on the other hand, heat the water in your home as needed. Cold water moves through a pipe into the unit where it is heated by an electric or gas burner when a hot water faucet is turned on. Typically, a tankless unit heats between two and five gallons per minute and can provide hot water continuously as long as the faucet runs. Usually mounted on the wall, this type of hot water unit is about 20 inches wide and 28 inches tall.
When deciding which type of hot water heater is right for your home, there are a few different factors to consider. Besides thinking about the type of fuel your hot water heater will use, considering the amount of water your family uses every month and your upfront budget is also important. Think about your future home plans, such as your energy efficiency goals, and how long you hope your new hot water heater will last.
Tankless Water Heater Benefits
A variety of benefits come with tankless water heaters. A tankless water heater also takes up less space in your home as well as being more energy efficient than tanked heaters. A tankless water heater uses up to 50 percent less energy than a tanked heater, which means you can save on your utility bill a lot of money every year. These savings are realized because less water is stored by tankless water heaters than by a traditional tanked heater, which means that they do not run as often to keep the water warm within.
Another great benefit of a tankless system is that it heats the water on demand, meaning you will have a continuous supply of hot water all day long. This is perfect for homes with large tubs or large families that require a lot of hot water in the morning rush.
Tankless water heaters have higher installation costs than conventional tank style water heaters, but in lower energy and operating costs additional savings can be realized. Furthermore, tankless style water heaters have a life expectancy of about 20 years. That means they last a lot longer than tanked heaters, which are usually replaced every 10 to 15 years. It is also easier and less expensive to repair tankless water heaters because they are built of easily replaceable parts.
Tanks Style Water Heaters Benefits
While for some homes a tankless water heater is a great option, a traditional tanked water heater can also be a great option. A tanked water heater is a great choice for homeowners on a budget. While a tankless water heater's upfront costs are often high, a traditional water heater's installation costs are less expensive. In addition to lower installation costs, it is also an easier task to install a tanked water heat. That's because, as opposed to tankless systems, a tanked water heater does not require changes to the natural gas line, which may require more natural gas than the current lines of your home.
For smaller households that do not have a high flow rate, tanked water heaters are also great. To activate a tankless system, a high flow rate is often required. A high flow rate is the amount of water you need to be heated at one time. But storage water heaters heat the water inside the tank continuously, no matter how often you use the inside water.
Another benefit of a tanked water system is that you will instantly have hot water. That means you can avoid the lag time between turning on your hot water faucet and starting to warm up often in homes with tankless water heaters.
If you are still unsure about which model to purchase, use this product selector tool. It gives suggestions based on water usage, people in the household and much more.