Water heaters are an important of your home utility setup, especially during the winter. There are different options that are available in the market. It can be hard to decide which is the right product for your home water heating needs. Here, we bring a comparison of traditional water heaters and the tankless heaters. In the end, we suggest which works the best for your regular heating needs.

Traditional Water Heaters

A traditional water heater has a characteristic water tank which can store anywhere from 30 to 60 gallons of water. Since this water is pre-heated in the tank, the users always get access to hot water, regardless of wherever they use a hot water tap on a property. The installed heater is carefully selected so that it has the capacity which is enough to service multiple water fixtures at the same time.

Here, we present a few advantages and limitations of installing the traditional water heaters in homes.

The Advantages

The traditional heaters that have tanks are excellent at serving a large building with multiple water faucets and fixtures that may drain a large quantity of water at the same time. These heaters keep the water preheated and therefore, they are ideal for use in extreme winter. The constant heat ensures that the water does not freeze out and causes your plumbing to burst in mid-winter. Always, remember that these advantages are only available when you choose the right-sized heater for your needs.

You also have the advantage of either having a gas heater or an electric heater in the same capacity, according to the utility easily available at your property. Another feature of these heaters is that they are controlled through a thermostat, which enables the delivery of gas or electricity to heat the water and keep it at a consistent temperature as set up by the user of the system.

The tank of these heaters is also connected permanently to the water supply. The tank fills up as the hot water is used. Cold water enters at the bottom of the tank while the hot water is drained from the top. The convection process ensures that only hot water is served if the temperature of the heater is maintained properly.

The Limitations

The primary limitation is that the water stored in the tank loses its energy to the surroundings. This means that it gradually needs to be heated from time to time, just to ensure that it remains at the temperature that you have set up using the thermostat. This means that your energy cost is higher, when using the conventional water heaters. These systems also take up a lot of space, and can be difficult to replace or repaired due to such constraints.

Another limitation is that since they constantly store a considerable amount of water, they can get damaged over time due to the chemicals present in the water supply. Mineral deposits start to develop and clog the bottom of the tank over time. This results in affecting the complete system and they may need replacement every 5 to 10 years, depending on your use.

Tankless Water Heaters

Now, we discuss the tankless water heaters. They are also termed as on-demand heaters, because they only operate when the water is required by the user. They are designed differently, although they also draw their power either from natural gas or electricity. They have their own set of advantages and limitations that we present here for our comparison.

The Advantages

There are several advantages of using tankless water heating systems. These systems are able to save your money, especially in homes where the common water use per day is less than 41 gallons. This happens because the heater only provides hot water on demand, and does not waste expensive energy keeping the water hot when it is not required.

Another important advantage of these heaters is that they are more robust and can easily be installed in spaces which cannot accept a traditional water heater. They can be installed on any wall and provide the same level of functionality.

The tankless water heaters last much longer and typically provide a healthy service life of over 20 years. This is possible because this system is not filled with hot water, which may damage the valves and the pipes that are part of the system and required for its operations.

Another advantage is that they can easily provide water at the right temperature when you are using them in a limited application. These systems can easily serve up to three gallons of hot water each minute. They have a powerful heating system, which can quickly heat the water going through the system at the required temperature setting.

The Limitations

As with all water heaters, there are a few limitations of tankless water heaters. One limitation is that they are expensive when compared to traditional heaters. However, with their efficiency, they can easily provide you the benefit of a reduced energy bill. Another disadvantage is that if you are retrofitting your current heating system, the process is complex and often requires a significant change in your hot water plumbing.

The Ideal Solution

We believe that the ideal solution depends on your hot water needs. If you have a small family and no significant hot water needs, then a tankless water heater is perfect for you. It will require a significant cost for the initial installation, but then save you money each month, with a reduced energy bill.

On the other hand, a traditional water heater may be the right choice, if you have a large home and many family members sharing it. Unfortunately, you will need to ensure that there is enough hot water for everyone in the house at the same time. However, another solution may be to install multiple tankless heaters if you care for the environment.

If you are looking to install the ideal water heater for your home, try Mesa Plumbing Company! Contact them at (480) 832-1660 to find out the best way to heat water for your home needs.