Every decade or two, Maryland homeowners are faced with a choice when it’s time to replace their water heaters. How do you decide between a tank water heater and a tankless water heater? The plumbing pros at Grove Heating & Cooling explain the differences between these two systems, their advantages, and how to decide between the two options.
Tank Water Heaters
A tank water heater is a type of water heating system that uses a hot water storage tank. Water is preheated and held within the tank for use as needed in the home. These units are also called storage tank water heaters due to the storage tank, or sometimes conventional water heaters as this type of unit was the standard used for many decades.
When it comes to choosing between a tank water heater and a tankless water heater, the benefits are important to consider for the tank style:
- Lower installation cost
- Gas models are supported by home’s current natural gas piping
- Electric models don’t require alterations to the home’s existing electrical system
- Hot water is immediately available
Tankless Water Heaters
Before the 1990s, tank water heaters vs tankless water heaters wasn’t really a debate. In the past 30 years or so, though, this technology has grown in popularity and is now more widely used. Tankless water heaters differ from tank water heaters in that they do not have a storage tank to hold hot water because they do not preheat hot water for the home. Instead, water is heated as needed.
Tankless water heaters are also called on-demand water heaters, as they heat water as the demand arises in the home. The benefits of these systems include:
- Higher energy efficiency. They are 24-34% more efficient than tank water heaters
- Utility savings generated due to greater energy efficiency
- Longer service life. They last 20 years with proper maintenance
- Limitless supply of hot water. They don’t have to wait for a tank to refill once depleted
- Smaller unit requires less installation space. They can be installed on the wall
- Little maintenance required as there is no tank to drain
Choosing Between a Tank Water Heater and a Tankless Water Heater
Each system type has distinct qualities and advantages. However, you cannot make this decision based on these stats alone – it is important to weigh how they fit with your household and lifestyle to decide between a tank water heater and a tankless hot water heater.
- If you want the unit with the most affordable installation costs, choose a storage tank water heater. Tankless units are more expensive upfront, plus there are additional installation costs involved with upgrading home natural gas or electrical service to support the unit.
- If space is at a premium in your home, installing a tankless water heater on the wall can free up valuable floor space for other needs.
- If your household uses hot water in multiple applications at the same time, a tankless water heater may not offer enough hot water at one time to satisfy everyone’s needs. Their output is measured by flow rate, and multiple simultaneous hot water demands are often too much for the system to adequately manage. In this case, a large tank water heater would be a better solution comfort-wise.
- If energy savings is a priority, a tankless water heater is the top choice. However, there are high-efficiency storage tank water heater models available that offer excellent energy savings.
- If you plan to stay in your home for a long period of time, investing in a tankless water heater may be the most beneficial for you as you’ll save money with fewer system replacements over the years. If you’ll be moving soon, you may choose to go with a lower cost tank model.
Contact Grove for Water Heater Installation in Maryland
No matter your choice in the tank water heater vs tankless water heater debate, Grove Heating & Cooling is here to help. Our team of plumbers performs expert installation for all types of water heaters, ensuring your family has a reliable source of hot water for years to come. Call us today to request an estimate for hot water heater installation.
