Electric Water Heaters: Tank vs. Tankless

Your home’s water heater is an essential appliance that is used every day. Without an effective and efficient water heater, you wouldn’t have hot water for things like bathing, washing dishes, doing laundry, and other daily household functions. When electric water heaters get old or in need of repair or replacement, homeowners often begin considering whether they should invest in a tank or tankless electric water heater. There are excellent options in both categories but the best option for your home will depend on a variety of factors.

What You Need to Know: Tank Electric Water Heaters

Storage tank water heaters are a more traditional water heater option that homeowners tend to be more familiar with. They come in varying capacities but essentially they store a number of gallons of hot water (typically between 20-60 gallons). Electric water heaters retain the heated water in the tank so that it is ready to be used on demand as needed. Because they have a limited capacity, they can run out of hot water if the demand at a given time is more than the capacity of the tank. Storage tank electric water heaters tend to be less expensive up-front. But, if your capacity is wrong for your household needs you may run out of hot water and have to wait for the tank to refill and heat the water. Tank water heaters also take up more space in your garage or other storage location and tend to be less energy-efficient than tankless water heaters. 

What You Need to Know: Tankless Electric Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters, sometimes called ‘on-demand’ water heaters, heat water at the moment that it is being used. Because tankless water heaters only heat water when you need it, they are more energy efficient than storage tank water heaters. Also, because they do not need to store heated water, tankless water heaters are much smaller and therefore take up significantly less space. Because they are more energy efficient and have a far lower risk of things like leaking, they have a longer lifespan than tank water heaters. But, if the initial purchase price is a concern, tankless water heaters do tend to be more expensive up-front. And, because they heat water on demand, there may be a slight lag time waiting for water to get hot. To discuss which option is best for your home, contact an experienced water heater installer.