Tankless Hot Water Heater Versus Tank

Tankless water heaters are more compact and can heat up water as you use it.

Tankless hot water heater versus tank. It uses high powered burners to rapidly heat water as it runs through a heat exchanger and deliver it directly to your faucets or shower without storing it in a tank. The life expectancy of a conventional hot water tank is about 12 to 15 years. Instead they heat water as it passes through the unit using a heat exchanger to rapidly bring it. Tankless water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank.

One of the first things to consider is whether you should get a tank or tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters are as much as 34 more efficient thank tank models according to the energy department. The doe notes that storage tank water heaters typically last 10 to 15 years while most tankless units have a life expectancy of 20 years or more. And s torage tank water heaters while less expensive up front don t last as long as tankless options.

They are smaller and more energy efficient than traditional storage tank water heaters but more expensive. For most households they can produce a savings of 100 or more every year. The operational life of a tankless water heater is usually 20 years if not more. There s one key reason for that.

They can be 8 14 more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water around 86 gallons per day. You re not constantly heating a tank in anticipation of needing it you only use energy when you use hot water. According to energy gov for homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily demand or tankless water heaters can be 24 to 34 more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. With regular maintenance and repairs a tankless system may last up to 30 years or up to 3 times longer than a traditional hot water heater.

Tankless water heaters if gas fired will save homeowners over 100 annually the longer they remain in service. Although they require fewer btu h to operate storage tank water heaters generally have higher operating costs because they heat and reheat water to a preset temperature regardless of a home s hot water demand. As their name implies tankless or on demand water heaters don t store water in a tank. Either a gas burner or an electric element heats the water.

Tankless water heaters reduce energy use up to 25 but they cost twice as much as standard storage units. Water heaters with tanks. For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily demand water heaters can be 24 34 more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters.