Tank Versus Tankless Hot Water Heaters

Instead they heat water as it passes through the unit using a heat exchanger to rapidly bring it.

Tank versus tankless hot water heaters.

And s torage tank water heaters while less expensive up front don t last as long as tankless options. 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. For a tank based traditional hot water system the lifespan is usually 10 years. 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.

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. As their name implies tankless or on demand water heaters don t store water in a tank. The operational life of a tankless water heater is usually 20 years if not more. One of the first things to consider is whether you should get a tank or tankless water heater.

Energy efficient according to consumerreports tankless water heaters on average are 22 percent more energy efficient than traditional water heaters. You re not limited to the capacity of a holding tank. If you use lots of hot water daily around 86 gallons you might enjoy energy efficiency of an additional 8 to 14 percent. No waiting for hot water tankless hot water heaters instantly heat the water you need.