Tankless Hot Water Heater Versus Tank

The doe notes that storage tank water heaters typically last 10 to 15 years while most tankless units have a life expectancy of 20 years or more.

Tankless hot water heater versus tank.

Either a gas burner or an electric element heats the water. There s one key reason for that. For a tank based traditional hot water system the lifespan is usually 10 years. And there are limits to how much hot water can be produced per minute.

They are smaller and more energy efficient than traditional storage tank water heaters but more expensive. As their name implies tankless or on demand water heaters don t store water in a tank. According to energy gov for homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily demand or tankless water heaters can be 24 to 34 more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. One of the first things to consider is whether you should get a tank or tankless water heater.

Tankless water heaters heat only the water you need when you need it eliminating the need for a storage tank. It uses high powered burners to rapidly heat water as it runs through a heat exchanger and deliver it directly to your faucets or shower without storing it in a tank. Water heaters with tanks. Instead they heat water as it passes through the unit using a heat exchanger to rapidly bring it.

And s torage tank water heaters while less expensive up front don t last as long as tankless options. The operational life of a tankless water heater is usually 20 years if not more. You re not constantly heating a tank in anticipation of needing it you only use energy when you use hot water. They can be 8 14 more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water around 86 gallons per day.

For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily demand water heaters can be 24 34 more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. The life expectancy of a conventional hot water tank is about 12 to 15 years. For most households they can produce a savings of 100 or more every year. Tankless water heaters are as much as 34 more efficient thank tank models according to the energy department.

With regular maintenance and repairs a tankless system may last up to 30 years or up to 3 times longer than a traditional hot water heater. Although they require fewer btu h to operate storage tank water heaters generally have higher operating costs because they heat and reheat water to a preset temperature regardless of a home s hot water demand. Tankless water heaters reduce energy use up to 25 but they cost twice as much as standard storage units.