If the time has come to consider water heater replacement, you’ll want to know what all your options are so you can determine which water heater system is ideal for the needs of your home and your family.
One of the first ways to narrow down your options is to decide whether you want a tank or tankless water heater. How will you choose? They both have benefits and drawbacks.
We’ll give you the rundown of the differences between the two systems, so you can consider what will work best for you.
Space
A tankless water heater does not have to hold a large amount of water in order to be prepared to answer your home’s calls for hot water. Since it heats only what is needed at any given time, it can do the job in a lot less space. This could free up some room in your home for other uses like storage.
Energy
The fact that tankless systems aren’t constantly heating in order to keep a tank full of water at the right temperature means that they are much more energy efficient. This could be a major point in their favor if being aware of your environmental impact is something you value.
Water
Even though a storage water heater already has the hot water you want, when you turn on the tap or the shower, you often have to wait 10-15 seconds before it reaches the right temperature. A small tankless system may be located closer to the points of water use, where a tank wouldn’t fit. Less time waiting for water to heat means less water down the drain. In addition, a lot of water can be lost from a tank if a leak occurs. With a tankless water heater, your household will consume less water.
Supply
With a tankless system, the amount of hot water available will be constant. There will be no waiting for hot water after someone has taken a long shower. Tankless water heaters can deliver between two and five gallons of hot water per minute. Never running out is a huge benefit, but there is a potential drawback about supply.
If you have a large family, or a busy schedule that involves running the dishwasher and doing laundry while people are also trying to shower, 2-5 gallons per minute may be insufficient. You’ll simply get a steady supply of lukewarm water everywhere hot water is needed, rather than getting plenty of hot water until it runs out.
Cost
The up-front cost of a tankless system is the biggest drawback. The water heater itself is more expensive than a tank heater. Then, there’s a good possibility that the water heater installation will be more costly.
Sometimes, when switching from tank to tankless, alterations need to be made to the plumbing that the water heater will connect to. And you may choose to relocate the water heater in order to use less water and less energy, requiring more plumbing work.
But what about the energy savings, you say? That’s what makes a tankless water heater worth the cost. You’ll save on utility bills as long as you own it.
Life Expectancy
Here’s where the tankless system recovers from that initial cost. While a tank water heater is likely to last for 10 or 15 years, a tankless system can last 20 or occasionally even 25. And that allows time for the energy savings to compensate for the initial investment.
Reach out to Cooling Unlimited, Inc. to speak with qualified plumbing experts about your water heater options in Belmont, MA.
