Tank vs. Tankless Water Heater – Which One Is Better?

Every home needs a water heater for bathing, cleaning and cooking, so homeowners are on the lookout for finding the perfect water heater of the right style and size they need.

There are two choices regarding the type – the tank and the on-demand or tankless water heater.

Which one is better for you? The answer depends on your needs and situation.

To help you decide, you can find a brief comparison of the differences as well as pros and cons that you might want to know for better decision making later.

Which one is better, tank or tankless water heater?

When buying a water heater, you need to consider the cost, longevity, efficiency and reliability of the item you’re looking into. To help you decide, you must check into the pros and cons of a tank and a tankless water heater.

Tankless water heater

This type makes use of a high-powered burner to heat the water quickly while running through the heat exchanger. Hot water is delivered to the faucet directly but without a storage tank.

This type runs through electricity or gas. Many homeowners find them energy-efficient because they don’t need to heat water in an entire tank. Instead, it only heats water on demand.

PROS

• Moneysaving – It can reduce utility cost by up to 25%. If you don’t want to spend much on utility bills, you should consider buying a tankless water heater.
• Small footprint and compact – The tankless water heater is perfect even for tight spaces, such as in apartments, condominiums and dormitories. You might want to check it out if you don’t have a large space for a tank water heater. It can also be installed on the wall, too, if you have a small space.
• Durable – It is heavy-duty in performance, and some sources reveal it could last up to 30 years double the lifespan of the storage-tank style heater.
• Hot water on demand – You will have continuous hot water supply when you need it. In fact, some of them can provide up to three gallons of hot water per minute. This source https://watergui.wwwmi3-ts1.a2hosted.com compares top tankless water heaters on the market.

On the downside,

• The tankless water heaters are a bit expensive than the traditional storage tank. But still, it is preferred by many due to the convenience it can bring. It also tends to last longer than the traditional water tank heaters do.
• They can struggle with a high demand if the wrong capacity size is chosen. For example, it might fail to keep supplying hot water demand for two activities at the same time. In this case, one of the outputs can be challenged or compromised.

Storage Tank Water Heaters

These are the older types of water heaters found in many homes. They work by storing and heating water in a tank or a reservoir. Usually, this type can accommodate up to 50 gallons of water.

As the hot water is used, the tank is being refilled with the new water that is heated and stored, and then the cycle continues.

PROS

• Lower installation cost – It can be more affordable to install this type of water heater versus the tankless type is. However, it may still be dependent on the capacity, model and added features of what you’re buying.
• Repair cost may be lower – The tank water heater can incur a lower repair cost than the tankless type because it works in a less complication manner.

On the downside,

Not much energy efficient – In terms of energy efficiency, you might want to look into the tankless than this type.

As you may know, it can consume more energy to heat water in an entire tank than only what is needed as a tankless type does.

Also, this type has to work harder especially during the winter in order to heat the money. It can increase your electricity or gas bills in the winter months.

Needs more space – This type can take more space in your home. It can become a challenge if you’re not living in a large space.

Thus, it can also be a struggle to look for a good location for it. This model cannot also be installed or mounted outside home.

Shorter lifespan – As it can be exposed to more straining, it might not last as long as the tankless water heater type. Usually, this type can last up to 15 years only, so it might need replacement sooner.

Tankless or tank water heater – Which one is better ?

When deciding for the type of water heater to select, you need to think about your needs, budget and situation. Knowing the pros and cons of each type, you can better decide which one is for your household.
Nevertheless, you should compare and study your options well before buying a water heater. Select one today!