Differences between a traditional water heater and tankless

 

Hopefully you are reading this article before you need to make a hasty decision. Replacing a water heater with the traditional tank model or going to the modern tankless version is not a cut and dried choice. This article will explore the differences in the two and provide information to help you make the best choice for your situation.

The traditional water heater has been around for many, many years and has served its purpose well all those years. The tankless water heater has only been available for a much shorter time and has only recently gained popularity.

Traditional units store anywhere from 20 to 100 gallons of water in a tank which heats the water using either gas or electricity. Tankless water heaters have no storage tank and work by heating the water as it runs over tubing that is usually made of copper. The advantage of the tankless is a constant flow of instantly heated water. Traditional water heaters can run out of heated water as you may have experienced after several back to back showers by family members.

However, since the price difference between the two can be substantial the way to decide which one to buy is to take a look at your usage. A house with two to three people does not need as much hot water as one that has three teenage girls and a couple of boys. Another deciding factor will be how long you decide to stay in that house.

The large family can keep everyone happy and save a significant amount on energy bills by installing a tankless heater or two. When not in use the tankless does not consume energy while the traditional tank model must continually work to keep the water stored in the tank hot. Savings of $100 or more per year are not uncommon.

For a small family or an older couple the traditional heater may be the best choice. Lower usage would mean very few times without enough hot water and the energy bill savings may not be enough to offset the price. Your best bet is to give us a call and we can discuss the pros and cons to help you make the right decision.

Looking into different water heaters for your San Diego property? Call 1-800-anytyme today at (760)477-2222 for a water heater installation!