As trends in tankless and traditional water systems continue to emerge, it can be difficult to decide between the two. Whether it’s time to update your water heater or you’ve recently become interested in increased efficiency and energy saving, it’s likely that you’ve already conducted some research into both instant hot water technologies and typical home water tanks.
While the vast differences in the operations of these two systems are obvious, they can also be compared by their advantages, costs, maintenance, convenience and water wastage.
Tankless Water Heaters
The environmentally friendlier choice, tankless water heaters are essentially instant hot water systems that rely on electricity or gas to heat the water instantly and continuously. The biggest difference in tankless water heaters when you compare them with traditional systems is that the hot water doesn’t need to be “ready to go” but instead is heated instantly when you need it. This has made tankless water systems renowned for their energy efficiency, as they require less money to run and even less money to maintain.
The continuous flow hot water system is also preferable for a number of other reasons. In addition to the instantaneous and constant flow of hot water whenever you need it, these systems help to decrease water wastage. Instant hot water also allows you to jump in the shower straight away, wash your dishes quickly, and complete a number of other household tasks.
Although the initial costs of installing tankless water heaters are higher than traditional tanks, the upkeep is far less costly, and you’ll likely see a dramatic decrease in your energy bills. You’ll also never have to experience the disappointment of running out of hot water while enjoying a shower.
Tank Water Heaters
Tank water heaters are the water systems you most likely grew up using. They’re sometimes considered to be the “budget friendly” choice because they’re less costly to install, but it should be known they’ll require more maintenance and cost more to use. They also typically wear out sooner, with their lifespan 10 years behind a tankless water system’s 20 years.
Tank water systems, in comparison to instant hot water technologies, are the “older” model and therefore come with some failings and flaws. A tank heater operates continuously, meaning the water is ready for when it needs to be used, but this can lead to a lot of water wastage. As the hot water is stored in the tank, corrosion can occur and it can also become a place for nasty bacteria to grow. The tank is also much larger than the small cylinder of a tankless heater. If you have limited space to work with, a water tank system can be hard to accommodate.
A tank water system is generally only a practical and convenient choice if you don’t have a large family and there’s enough room for the tank to be placed somewhere in the home. However, the tankless water systems do outweigh them in practicality, convenience and costs. Speak to a professional provider of instant hot water systems to work out which model would be best for your home.
