Which Water Heater Type is Best?

For many years, the only real option when it came to residential water heating was the tank water heater. Now, though, the primary choice that homeowners face for water heaters is whether or not to go tankless. We often get questions from homeowners whom are selecting a new water heater, wondering whether tank or tankless is the way to go. The truth is that each water heater type is suited to a different set of needs. Let’s go into a bit more detail about the differences between tank and tankless water heaters.

The oldest and most popular type of water heater in the country, tank water heaters use a large storage tank to maintain a constant supply of hot water. This gives them a high output, thanks to the large storage capacity, as well as the ability to supply hot water at a moment’s notice. However, this kind of water heater is pretty much always on in order to maintain that supply. This wastes a lot of energy on an annual basis.

Tankless water heaters are water heaters that don’t use storage tanks. Instead, they include a heat exchanger similar to a boiler system. When hot water is demanded, the tankless system turns on and begins to heat water as it flows to its destination. This results in a slight delay between when you turn on the faucet and when hot water arrives at the destination. Tankless water heaters remain off when not in use, though, which makes them a much more energy efficient option than tank water heaters.

Lutz Plumbing, Inc. provides water heater services of all kinds throughout Kansas City, MO. If you need a water heater installed, repaired, maintained, or replaced, call today to schedule an appointment with one of our experts.