You may have heard that tankless water heaters are an efficient alternative to traditional water heaters, but they may not actually be the best choice for everyone. While tankless water heaters are becoming more and more popular, traditional units, otherwise known as storage tank water heaters, are still the most widely used system in the U.S. And even though tankless water heaters save energy and emit fewer pollutants, many homeowners feel as though they benefit more from sticking with a traditional unit instead.
Both types of systems have their advantages. Tankless units are more efficient because they don’t use energy throughout the day. Storage tank water heaters keep water heated in a large tank so it is readily available for use. But this means energy is used throughout the day to heat water that is only used on occasion. A tankless water heater only activates when a hot water tap is turned on, reducing your gas or electricity usage. Also, tankless water heaters are known to last nearly twice as long as a standard water heater, so you’ll have an efficient system for years to come.
But for some homeowners, efficiency isn’t everything. For one, a tankless water heater is often more costly to install than a storage tank heater. And while an efficient tankless unit may eventually save enough energy to offset the price, it can take many years to do so. Besides, you may have to install multiple tankless units to keep up with high demands for hot water in your family.
A common complaint about tankless water heaters is that they may not be effective at heating multiple sources as once. If someone is doing laundry while someone else is showering, some units will struggle to keep up. In this case, you may need to install two or more units depending on the size of your family. And for some homeowners, this cost is not worth the savings over time.
Whether you want to stick with a storage tank water heater or switch to an efficient tankless water heater in Gig Harbor, talk to one of the experts at Sound Heating today!