A water heater is for sure one of the most important investments when it comes to home necessities. If it’s time to replace the old heater, then you must ask yourself if you want to buy a storage water heater, or the tankless one is more convenient?
Bear in mind, that there’s no such thing as the right answer to this question. What you’re going to select depends on a couple of variables that are specific to the house you live in, as well as your hot water needs.
The only thing that truly matters is that your household is provided with reliable hot water. If you’re not too sure which of these two is better at the moment, then maybe these facts below will make things clearer.
Stored Tank VS Tankless Water Heater – Which Is Perfect For Your Needs?
Tankless Water Heater
The most common types of water heaters are tankless water heaters and tank water heaters. Both are great at delivering hot water to you and your family members, but let’s talk about the basics so you can decide which of these two is better for your household.
When it comes to these two models, tankless water heaters are newer and have been introduced as an amazing energy-efficient alternative. If you haven’t heard of them before, you can always opt for an informative buying guide to uncover some more useful information. Now, you have probably figured out by now that this model doesn’t utilize a tank to hold heated water.
The question is, where does the hot water come from then? Well, these heaters don’t hold water in reserve. Namely, they do it as soon as you decide that you and your appliances need hot water.
As soon as you turn the tap on, the tankless water heater will start heating water to the temperature that is most convenient for you and send it directly to the outlet. Additionally, it only employs energy when hot water can be guaranteed.
A lot of people call them on-demand water heaters as well because they heat the water only when you ask for it, instead of pre-heating it for storage. Just like tank models, these are also run by electricity or gas.
Storage Tank Water Heaters
This variant is certainly the most popular one and a majority of homeowners are familiar with everything it offers. Typical storage water ranges from twenty to eighty gallons in capacity. Furthermore, once the tank is filled to its capacity, the water is heated in the reservoir employing some of the fuel resources your household has.
It can be electricity, gas, or even propane. Once you turn on the hot water tap, then the water is released from the top of the storage tank. And then cold water is filled from the bottom until it becomes full, so you can always have hot water at your disposal.
Keep in mind that this whole process of continuously heating the water in the tank leads to standby heat loss. What is that? Well, it can be defined as the amount of heat that is lost when you’re not using the water heater.
Anything Else That’s Worth Mentioning?
Tankless Water Heater Pros & Cons
Below, we’ll talk about the pros and cons of tankless water heaters just so you can have a clearer picture of them:
Pros:
- Save a lot of energy due to the fact that they only work when there’s a demand for hot water.
- Very efficient. According to some reports, the most effective storage tank has an energy factor of around sixty-seven, but some claim that certain tankless units come with a factor that can go up to 95.
- It is extremely convenient due to its size. It takes way less room than a storage tank.
Cons:
- It’s expensive. Namely, this model costs twice as much as the one that comes with a tank.
- It’s worth mentioning that the installation is pricey as well.
Storage Tank Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Speaking of installation, this one is very affordable when it comes to this, plus it is generally cheaper than the tankless water heater.
- It’s cost-effective to replace it.
- These tanks are officially Energy Star certified which means that you can save energy and money with them.
Cons:
- Huge and bulky.
- They are always on, meaning they are employing energy whether you are utilizing it or not.
- Less versatile installation, and are less durable
Without the shadow of a doubt, it can be concluded that both of these types are great, each in its own way. So in order to make the best decision, you first need to read all the info that was provided here and then take the next step.
Featured image: Pixabay (955169).