Many times, when homeowners are trying to make the decision between replacing their water heater with a standard Tank water heater or a Tankless water heater, they don’t know where to begin looking for information on their differences. Below, we will discuss the differences between the two and cover everything from efficiency, space, and longevity.
First things first, lets talk about what tankless water heaters are!
Tankless water heaters provide on demand hot water throughout your home by using high-powered burners to heat the water after you turn a hot water tap. When the tap is turned on the water will move through the heat exchangers where the water is rapidly heated, for as long as you need it. Tankless water heaters come in both gas and electric.
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the differences:
Efficiency-
With a Tankless water heater, homeowners can sleep at night knowing that their gas bill is not going to go through the roof. A Tankless water heater, on average, is 24 to 34 percent more energy efficient than a traditional Tank water heater. A Tankless water heater is only on for as long as you have your hot water tap turned on, unlike a Tank that is constantly heating 24/7.
While Tankless water heaters are more money up front, tankless water heaters can last up to 20 years, as compared to Tank water heaters which generally last 8-10 years on average before potentially causing catastrophic damage to your home if the tank floods. Homeowners typically save money in the long run because they will replace their tanks 2-3 times over the life span of 1 tankless water heater.
Capacity-
While traditional Tank water heaters can hold anywhere from 20 -100+ gallons of water, Tankless water heaters have unlimited capacity for producing hot water. Depending on the size of your home, Tankless water heaters can produce anywhere from 4 gallons per minute to 11.1 gallons per minute at a 30 degree rise in temperature.
Hot Water Guys bases the size of your Tankless water heater off how many showers you have in your home. We do not believe in oversizing your water heater. There are plenty of models for all sizes of homes and we strive to make sure we provide the best fit for your needs.
Space-
Besides for on-demand and unlimited hot water, one of the best immediate benefits of a Tankless water heater is the space that you can free up! Tanks can take up large amounts of space in your attic, garage, closet, or utility room. When you remove the tank and add a tankless water mounted to a wall or on a frame in the attic, you can free up vital storage space. The Tankless water heater is about the size of a carry-on suitcase.
A lot of our customers enjoy the benefit of relocating their water heaters to other areas of their homes. It can free up space removing a Tank from a utility room and installing the Tankless water heater in the attic, which can lead to additional appliances or storage in the original location.
Life-Span-
Tankless water heaters may be more upfront for installation and the machine itself; it pays for itself in the 20+ year life span. Tank water heaters in Houston typically last on average 6-8 years due to the hard water. With annual maintenance of the Tankless water heater, the water heater can last up to 20 or more years.