Water heating is a huge part of your household energy budget. In fact, the average American household devotes around 20% of its energy costs to water heating. It’s a surprisingly large number and it adds up over the course of a year! This is why it is so important to get a water heater that works great for your home and household needs. In this blog, we’ll explain the pros and cons of the two main water heating options: tankless and traditional. Once you know the benefits of each, you’ll be able to make the best choice possible for your home. Let’s get started with the traditional tank units!
Traditional Tank Systems
How These Systems Work
Storage tank systems are traditional for a reason. They’ve been the go-to standard in the U.S. for decades. They’re pretty straightforward in how they work. The tank heats water and stores it for later use. When you need hot water from the tap, it pulls from the hot water tank. The typical size for these systems ranges from 20 to 80 gallons or more. For most households, this is more than enough to provide constant hot water for your needs.
The Benefits
As long as it sized correctly, a traditional tank system is perfect for most families. If you’re used to the traditional setup, it’s a great choice because you are already familiar with it. Additionally, the relatively inexpensive installation cost is ideal for families who may move in the next few years.
The Negatives
Tankless systems have one inherent flaw, standby heat loss. Hot water will eventually cool down unless it is constantly being reheated. If you don’t use hot water for an entire day, you are still paying for it to be available to you. This can really add up over time and end up being a huge chunk of your water heating budget.
Lastly, it’s important that you get these systems sized properly. If your tank water heater is too small, you will be more likely to run out. This can happen if your water heating habits change or you decide to add more faucets to your home, so keep that in mind if you undergo a remodel or new construction.
Tankless Systems
Tankless systems are designed to fix the problem of standby heat loss. They do this by heating water directly when you need it. Water flows into the system and typically heated coils rapidly bring it up to the desired temperature.
The Benefits
Tankless systems are all about flexibility. Small units can be used close to a particular appliance so you never run out of hot water in that area. Whole-home units are great as well because they provide the efficiency of tankless systems to every part of your home. Additionally, there are more options that use alternative fuel sources such as electricity which tends to be more efficient than natural gas.
The Negatives
There are definite drawbacks to these types of systems. You can only use this hot water as long as you stay within capacity limits. Tank units do not have a capacity limit. You can always turn your faucet to its farthest setting. With a tankless system, you might only be able to use two hot water appliances at one time before reaching capacity.
Turn to the Experts
If you need a new water heater, turn to the pros at Griffin Mechanical, LLC. We’ll make sure your system is sized properly and installed correctly. We’d love to help! To schedule your consultation, call (615) 502-3030 today or fill out a simple online contact form!