When it comes to choosing the right kind of water heater, you need to be mindful of your family’s needs. What works well for a family of five might not be the best option for a family of two.
Most importantly, you also need to look at affordability, because you’ll quickly realize that some models are more cost-effective than others.
The two options that we are going to discuss today are storage tank and tankless water heaters.
What are the basic differences?
Tankless water heaters are also known as on-demand water heaters. They deliver heated water directly to your taps and faucets without storing it in a tank. They do this with the help of high-power burners that heat water rapidly and run it through a heat exchanger before delivering it through taps.
On the other hand, tank-based water heaters are more traditional, and are commonly found in older homes. What sets the two apart is the fact that a tank water heater also comprises an insulated tank. This tank can not only hold around 30 to 50 gallons of water (varies as per capacity) but also heats the water and stores it until it’s needed.
However, both systems operate using gas and electricity, depending on the model.
Why are tankless systems better?
This list isn’t exhaustive, but here are a few major reasons why tankless options are usually better:
- If your home uses 41 gallons or less of hot water on a daily basis, tankless water heaters are a better option for you. This is because they’re around 24% to 34% more energy efficient. If your household consumes a lot of hot water regularly, tankless water heaters will still be 8% to 14% more efficient than a traditional storage tank heater.
- Initially, a storage tank might cost you a lot lower than a tankless water heater. However, a tankless water heater will always last longer. They are usually expected to have a life expectancy of over 20 years. Other than that, most of their parts are also easily replaceable. This means that you don’t have to replace the entire heater every time it breaks down.
On the contrary, a storage tank heater will only last for around 10 to 15 years. You should also note that tankless water heaters have lower operating costs. This greatly offsets the high initial cost of acquisition.
- Using a tankless water heater may also result in fewer bills because you don’t need to have them on all the time. The key is to ask your manufacturer about the amount of gas that the pilot light uses. Always buy the one with a standing pilot light. You can turn this variant off when not in use, thus saving money.
Whether you want a new water heater installation Fort Worth, get in touch and we will do it for you! Pro Serve Plumbers is addressing all of your water heater-related issues in Fort Worth, TX.
