Tank vs. Tankless: What’s the Difference?

To tank or not to tank … that is the question when it comes to installing a new water heater! Both have benefits, but which type is best for your home? We take an in-depth look at each to help homeowners.

Tank Water Heaters

These types of water heaters are the old stand-by and what comes to mind when we think of a traditional water heater. The unit heats up the water and stores it for later use, typically in the range of 30 to 50 gallons. These heaters do use consistent energy as the water inside is kept at a certain temperature, so it is ready for your use at any time. As you know, if you deplete the hot water in the tank, you are left with a cool shower!

Tankless Water Heaters

The tankless types are newer to the world of heating technology and do not utilize a tank to hold water. They work on-demand. When you turn on the hot water, your tankless unit starts working and heats up the water before sending it out to the faucet or appliance that is turned on. With a tankless unit, there is no storage of hot water and there is less energy used because of this process.

Drilling it down, let’s look at how each type of water heater works within these areas.

Initial cost: You will find that tankless heaters do cost more up-front for both product and service. When you are installing a tankless unit where there once was a tank unit, there is also more than likely an additional cost associated with this, depending on your home.

Costs over time: The tankless type is often chosen because of the energy savings that is seen over time. While you pay more at the beginning, you will get that back over the years with savings on operating costs. Tank units can still be energy efficient too.

Life of the unit: Tankless heaters tend to last longer – an additional 10 to 15 years – and there is not a risk of water damage if the tank fails because it does not store water like in a tank unit. A properly installed tank heater will last anywhere from 10 to 15 years.

Hot water availability: At the top of the list is the availability of hot water. While the amount of space in a tank heater restricts output, homeowners can typically operate two showers at the same time or a shower and the dishwasher or washing machine. Since tankless water heaters can only heat up water on-demand, there may be an interruption of warm water flow to more than one place at the same time.

We Can Take Care of Your New Unit Today

Van Drunen Heating & Air Conditioning can assist with all of your heating and cooling needs. Our team works with both types of units and can help answer all of your questions. Contact us through our online form.