Traditional vs. Tankless Water Heaters which will you choose?

Is it about that time for you to purchase a new water heater? Fall is approaching, and along with fall will come some chilly temperatures. You’ll definitely want to make sure that your hot water heater is functioning properly before the dropping temperatures hit. There are two main water heater types to choose between; traditional and tankless water heaters. Not sure what the differences between them are or how to decide which one is best for you? No worries, we will lay it all out for you!

Ultimately, deciding which type of water heater is best for your home is for you to decide. As goes with the majority of purchases, there are trade-offs that you will have to decide between.

What is the difference?

Traditional water heaters store and preheat around 30-50 gallons of water within the tank. Whenever someone showers, washes dishes, does laundry, etc, that preheated water is used. After use, the tank refills itself and begins the cycle of preheating again.

Meanwhile, tankless water heaters use a heat source (either electric or gas depending on your home) that heat up your water as needed instead of storing water within the tank.

The benefits of traditional water heaters include the fact that they are initially less expensive. In fact, installation of a traditional water heater can be nearly half of the price of installing a tankless water heater. However, they can lead to a more expensive utility bill, especially during the colder months, due to the fact that they constantly heat and reheat water. They can also sometimes run out of hot water if you have a large family or if someone in your home takes especially long showers. In addition, traditional water heaters are much larger than tankless water heaters and need to be placed indoors. It is also worth noting that traditional water heaters need to typically be replaced every 10-15 years.

On the other hand, some benefits of tankless water heaters include that they will ultimately save you money in the long run and that they do not take up a significant amount of space. They will also always provide you hot water on-demand, so you will not have to ever worry about taking cold showers. Some cons of tankless water heaters are that they are more expensive to install. It can also be complicated to replace a traditional water heater with a tankless one, so you will also want to take this into consideration.

If you need to replace your water heater or if you are still not sure which option is best for you, feel free to give The Waterworks a call and we will help you make a decision!

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