What Is the Difference Between Tank and Tankless Water Heaters?

Difference Between a Traditional Water Heater and a Tankless Option

While shopping around for a new water heater, you may have heard that there are different types of heaters that you can choose to invest in for your home: a traditional water heater and a tankless heater. But what are the differences between these two styles?

For one, a traditional heater has the main purpose of both housing and heating water. One traditional water heater can oftentimes hold forty to fifty gallons at a time. When water is needed to be heated and used, the pre-heated water stored in the heater tank is then delivered to the source where it is needed and then the heater tank gets new water to be stored from your water system, and the cycle continues once more.

Tankless heaters work differently than traditional water heater systems. Unlike traditional water heaters which pre-heat the water before it is needed to be used, tankless water heaters only heat the water when it is needed. This type of system generally uses less energy than a traditional heater system because heat is only needed at the time of use and for the duration of use, rather than being pre-heated on a continual basis.

Now that you know the differences between a traditional water heater and a tankless version, you may be left wondering which model is right for your home environment. It may make sense to think about how much in demand hot water is in your home. If you use a lot of hot water on a daily basis, a traditional water heater may be your viable option. However, if you rarely utilize hot water, the cost of storing pre-heated water may be higher than simply investing in a tankless heater. Simply consider the pros and cons of each version. Overall, you must decide which method is best for you and your family.

Looking into different water heaters for your Birmingham property? Call Latta Plumbing today at 205-631-6445 for a water heater installation!