Water heaters are known for being very durable, assuming they are properly taken care of. No water heater lasts indefinitely, though, which means that sooner or later you will need to install a new one.
If you currently find yourself looking for a new water heater, you have a number of different options to choose from. It’s important that you carefully weigh the pros and cons of each water heater type, as each one is suited to a different situation. Have a look at which water heater might serve your needs best below.
Tank Water Heaters
A tank water heater is what most people think of when it comes to water heaters. A tank water heater uses a large storage tank to store and heat a large supply of water at all times. Tank water heaters can be gas or electric, and can vary in size between 7-100+ gallon tanks.
A tank water heater offers a number of advantages, including convenience. Because the system is constantly heating water, you can always count on having hot water readily available whenever you need it. This is especially useful in households with multiple people, along with the added capacity that most storage tanks provide.
Tank water heaters do have some drawbacks, though. Since a tank water heater never entirely shuts off, it spends a lot of energy on an annual basis heating water that is not being used. This contributes to slightly higher annual costs. Tank water heaters can also take up a lot more space since any installation must make allowances for the storage tank.
Tankless Water Heaters
A tankless water heater is a water heater that, as you might expect, does not make use of a storage tank. Instead, the system uses a heat exchanger similar to a boiler. Tankless water heaters do not remain on at all times; they stay off until there is demand for hot water. When there is a need for hot water, the tankless water heater turns on and begins heating water as it passes through the heat exchanger. When there is no longer a demand for hot water, the system turns off until it is needed again.
Tankless water heaters are more energy efficient than tank water heaters since they aren’t operating at all times. They also take up less space, since they don’t have large storage tanks. However, tankless water heaters have their own drawbacks in certain situations. A tankless water heater is more easily overwhelmed by demand since it does not have a standing supply of hot water to fall back on. Since the water heater has to heat water from scratch, there is also a slight delay between when the faucet is turned on and when hot water arrives.
Performance Plumbing provides a full range of water heater installation services in St. Louis, MO. If you need a new water heater installed in your home, contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experts. We’ll make sure that you get the water heater that is best for your needs.