Key Differences Between Tankless and Tank Water Heaters

There are several major differences between tankless and tank-or storage-water heaters. The first and most noticeable difference is their size. Tank water heaters consist of a drum that holds between 30-120 gallons of water, while tankless water heaters use a wall mounted system with internal piping and either a gas burner, or an electric heating element.

The second difference is how much hot water you'll get. Tanks can only give as much water as they hold within them, while on-demand heaters will give you hot water as you need it. On the other hand, tank heaters can provide hot water almost immediately, and in several places at once, while going tankless means that the water has to be heated first-which can take time-and the average flow on one is 8 gallons per minute, which means if you're ever running more than one application you might not have enough hot water for both.

The third difference is in their energy usage. Tankless heaters only use energy when there is a demand for hot water, while tanks use energy on and off 24/7 to keep the water in them heated. However, the gas/power requirements for tanks are much lower for tanks, while the larger requirements for on-demand heaters-especially when going electric-can cause installation costs to soar. Even so, if you choose a gas heater, you will save a lot on your energy bills.

Another difference is in their cost. Tankless heaters cost between $1,000-1,200 to buy and install, which is twice as much as a storage heater. Not only that, but re-circulation and solar pre-heating applications aren't easily implemented on them, and require additional assembly which adds to the cost. Maintenance requirements are also larger with tankless heaters, especially if you have hard water.

Both have advantages and disadvantages, and whichever kind you choose to put in your home depends on your needs. Think about your hot water requirements before you decide which heater you prefer.

Need a new water heater for your Trinity home? Call Roman Plumbing Inc. at (727) 858-3412 and set up a service call today!