How do tankless and conventional water heaters compare and how do you decide?

Answer 1

Personally I am going tankless because you only heat the water you need as you need it rather than burning the energy to keep a big canister of water hot all day when you are not even around and because they take up *much* less space that can otherwise be used for storage.

Answer 2

I'm a licensed plumber and i have to say that tankless is by FAR the best way to go. They are not at all "noisier" than tank types. I have installed many in my career, as well as serviced existing ones. The repairs are usually not more expensive, the savings in energy comsumption are huge-HUGE when compared to any tank type, (no matter how well insualted). They will of course cost more to install than a tank type, but will out perform, out save, and out heat any tank type on the market. Also, many units can be mounted right to the outside wall so there is no ventilation required. They will use a very small amount of electricity to operate (about 3 amps). And would probably add some resale value to your home, (check local realator). They do need to be maintained once a year, but really, so do the tank types, its just that nobody ever does it. I agree with the above, Rinnai is a GREAT choice for tankless water heating. Hope this helps V.C.

Answer 3

As a construction plumber on high end houses Ive installed many of both. I can tell you that the tank less are more costly up front than traditional tank heaters. what you do have to remember about these is that you get what you pay for. If you buy a cheap one it will not last as long or work as well. All the ones I have put in the people have loved them. they provide endless hot water, as much as the flow rate can handle ( gallons per minute) , and only when you need it. no cost to heat unused water 24/7. a common misconception is that they do not provide instant hot water, meaning the water will not be boiling hot the second you will turn on the faucet. Water still has to flow through your pipes just the same as a tank style heater. Repairs are done mainly by electricians and gas service companies, because the water simply runs through the heater and the electric or gas and other parts do all the work. Overall I would recommend them. Check out the brand "Rinnai" they are probably the best of the line that I have installed. good luck!

Answer 4

Well, tankless, also known as constant hot water, tanks provide you with constant heat without having to worry about constantly heating up water when you are not using hot water. It also allows a family not to worry about cold showers again, even if it was only 5 minutes since the teenage girl got through taking her 1 hour shower. Conventional tanks can't say that.
Now, the conventional tanks are cheaper than the tankless.
You have to decide that if you are going to plan on staying in your home for at least the next 5 years and/or you have a family, then I would go for it and get the tankless. When I get ready to buy a house, that is exactly what I am going to have installed.

Answer 5

A tankless "on demand" heater would be good if you have low usage (single apartment dweller) or intermittent usage (hotel room) but if you have a house with a family or multiple occupants you'd probably prefer a traditional heater.

If cost of running is an issue, many electric companies offer off-peak meters, where it heats during the off hours and/or they can turn off the heater during demand times, resulting in a lower cost to you.

If you get a traditional heater, don't cheap it out - get a very well insulated one; the more it can retain heat, the less it'll have to reheat.

Answer 6

Tankless models take up less space. Tankless models heat the water economically because they only heat water as it is needed thus they do not reheat stored water. That takes care of the pluses.

Tankless models cost more than the tank type. Tankless models cost way more to install than the tank type. Tankless models are much more complicated than the tank type so repairs by the homeowner is unlikely. Tankless models are complicated (more parts) so they are more likely to break down more often than the simpler tank type model. Tankless models are fairly recent to the American scene so there are not many repairmen familiar with dealing with them and U.S. companies are unlikely to inventory parts for them so if they break down there may be a long wait for them to be returned to service. Tankless models are, quite often, noisier than the tank types.

So, unless you don't have room for a standard water heater, installing a tankless may not be as economical as is touted by those who wish to sell them to you. A double-blanket on a standard water heater well may offer the savings that you are looking for.......................................

Answer 7

Heard about this one too myself. They claimed it's pretty good. They said the tankless only fired up when you need it and it warmed up very fast. Compare to our old water tank heater that will keep firing to maintain the required heat in the tank. By this two comparison alone, you can save a lot of gas. I don't know about the prices though, but probably overtime, it's still cheaper to run the tankless one. Your choice and let me know if it's really works efficiently as they claimed.

Answer 8

its ok till you try to do 2 things at once... like shower & .....shower, laundry, dishwasher, or any other hot water acrivity!