Water Heaters: What’s The Difference Between Traditional and Tankless?
For years, there was only one type of water heater that came standard in homes. While this traditional water heater is still commonly used today, another option has been introduced to the marketplace. This is known as the tankless water heater and it can be helpful to understand the differences between the two.
What Is a Traditional Water Heater
A traditional water heater, also known as a tank-style water heater, is easily distinguishable by its round storage tank. This unit will let water into the storage tank, where multiple heating elements warm it to the desired temperature setting on its thermostat. This traditional water heater continues to keep the water in its tank warm until you turn on one of your hot faucets to use it. Then, the heating process starts all over again.
What Is a Tankless Water Heater?
The tankless water heater is a newer option that doesn’t use a storage tank. Rather, it’s comprised of a small unit that sits on the wall. Inside the unit is a heater that will warm the water to your desired temperature as the water goes through it. This type of water heater can be powered by electricity, propane, or even natural gas, depending on your personal preferences.
Space
One of the most notable differences between a traditional water heater and a tankless water heater is their size. A traditional water heater has a fairly large cylindrical storage tank that will take up a good bit of space. On the other hand, a tankless water heater is a fairly small box that gets mounted on the wall, so it’s out of the way.
Efficiency
A homeowner’s main concern with any new appliance is its energy efficiency. The more efficient an appliance that you can buy can be, the less money you’ll spend on operating costs throughout the year. When it comes to water heaters, tankless options are going to be more energy efficient.
This efficiency simply comes down to the fact that they don’t have to continually heat water. Rather, they provide hot water on-demand, while a traditional water heater requires continual heating to ensure all the water in its tank is kept at a consistent temperature.
Upfront Cost
When comparing the upfront purchase of a traditional water heater to that of a tankless water heater, it becomes overly clear that tankless styles are more expensive. In fact, you can expect to pay up to two times the cost of a traditional tank water heater. It’s important to note that prices will vary depending on the water heater’s capacity or gallons per minute.
Lifespan
With a traditional water heater, its internal components are constantly in contact with water. This can lead to corrosion over time due to the minerals in the water. A typical tank water heater will last you between 8 and 12 years. On the other hand, a tankless water heater is known to last much longer. You can expect it to be around for 15 to 20 years.
Hot Water Supply
It’s important to realize that each water heater is given a rating. For a traditional water heater, this rating will be its capacity. This rating indicates how much hot water it can hold at one time. For tankless water heaters, this rating is given as gallons per minute or GPM for short. The rating states how many gallons of hot water they can produce per minute.
With a traditional water heater, you can only use the amount of hot water in the tank before you’re left with cold water. With a tankless water heater, it will continually heat all the water that flows through it. This gives you endless amounts of hot water up to the gallons per minute that it’s rated for.
Maintenance
Both traditional and tankless water heaters require regular maintenance to function in tip-top condition. On average, homeowners should have either system serviced every year. However, if you live in a region with very hard water, you may want to increase that to a couple of times per year.
Reliable Water Heater Service
Guaranteed Comfort Heating & Cooling offers reliable water heater service for Windsor, ON and the surrounding areas. We can also help with all your heat pump, heat recovery ventilation system, air purifier, ductless air conditioning, boiler, heating, and cooling needs. Simply contact our friendly staff today to schedule your next service appointment.