Water Heaters: Conventional & Tankless

Water heaters come in many sizes and capacities and can be operated by natural gas or electricity. They can be installed in any structure, large or small. The most common types of water heaters are conventional with a storage tank and tankless.

Conventional heaters have been around for many years. They consist of a storage tank of different sizes and a burner or heating element and heat water constantly to a set temperature ready to be used. Because these heaters work regardless of water usage they are not rated as high-energy-efficient appliances. In general, conventional water heaters will last for about ten years and cost less than tankless water heaters.

Tankless water heaters have been used in Europe and Asia for the last 50 years and are gaining more and more popularity in the United States. Many people believe that within the next five to ten years 50% or more of all American homes will have tankless water heaters in them. Tankless heaters are suitcase-sized units that heat water only when needed instead of keeping water hot constantly in a storage tank. While the initial cost of tankless heaters is higher than conventional water heaters and the installation can be more expensive as well, you can expect an energy saving of about 20% and life expectancy of about twenty years with proper maintenance.

Why Tankless?

Tankless water heaters

Tankless water heaters have been used in Europe and Asia for the last 50 years and they are gaining more and more popularity in the United States. As of 2009 they represent about 8% of new water heater sales in the US.

Tankless heaters, also called on-demand heaters, flash or instant water heaters, are suitcase-sized units that heat water only when needed instead of keeping water hot in a storage tank.

While the initial cost of tankless heaters is higher than conventional tank water heaters and the installation can be expensive as well, you can expect an energy saving of about 20% and life expectancy of about 20 years with proper maintenance.

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the tankless water heater.

Advantages:

Uses less energy(heats the water only when needed)

Continuous hot water (hot water doesn’t run out)

Long life span (approx 20 years)

Compact in size

Tankless water heaters come in a variety of sizes for different applications. The unit size will depend on its location and the number of fixtures its going to serve. Every installation is unique and requires a site evaluation before hand.

For more information about tankless water heaters or to set up an appointment for a free estimate call our office or email your request.