The Differences Between Tankless Water Heaters And Tank Water Heaters

Technology is always marching on, even in the world of plumbing, but the problem is that so many of these technological advantages are sold as just that – without any discussion of the differences. The idea is that since they’re based on newer ideas they are automatically better, but as a smart consumer you always want to find out more.

One of these somewhat new technologies are tankless water heaters. While these have been around for a while now, a lot of people still don’t understand the differences between traditional tank water heaters and these new tankless water heaters. The main difference should be somewhat obvious – tankless water heaters don’t have any tank. So, how do they work if they don’t constantly heat a tank full of water? Tankless systems only heat the water as it is needed and then direct it into the home – so what exactly is the benefit?
Put quite simply, tankless water heaters save money in every way that you could imagine. Homeowners can save up to 40% on their energy bills on average, due to the fact that you aren’t constantly heating the water, only heating it when you need it. In addition, they can expect to save quite a bit on their water bill.
On the other hand, like most things that are going to save you money in the long run, tankless water heaters are rather expensive, sometimes several times more expensive than the traditional tank system. In addition, a larger house could possibly need more than one tankless system where a single tank system could have done the same job.
To be frank, the choice between a traditional tank-based water heating system and a tankless system really depends on the situation. In a smaller house, a tankless system is certainly a choice to consider, but as the house size increases so does the chance that a tank system would be better.
Need a new water heater for your Arlington home? Contact The Plumbing Doctor at 703-525-9280 and schedule a service call today!