The standard water heater, a storage water heater, uses a large tank filled with water to which energy is applied to keep the water inside at a temperature ready for use. For many decades, this was the only type of water heater available for homes. But now technological advances have brought tankless water heaters into the residential world. Tankless heaters use a heat exchanger (electric- or gas-powered) placed along the plumbing to directly heat water without storing it; the heat exchangers come on to heat the water only when a tap calls for hot water. For this reason, tankless water heaters are also called demand water heaters.
But just because a technology is recent doesn’t mean that you should adopt it immediately. A tankless water heater may make an ideal appliance for your home; but a storage water heater might still be best.
To find out which of the two choices for water heater installation in Allentown, PA will serve your family best, call the professionals at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling.
The advantages of a storage water heater
The standard storage water heater is a less expensive option, and if short-term budget is important for you, it is probably worth it to stay with a tank system. Although storage water heaters can run out of hot water if you place too much demand on them (such as during the mornings when many people may require showers), they have the advantage of providing hot water quickly once a tap comes on, and this means less water waste. They are also easier to repair.
The advantages of a tankless water heater
The biggest benefit of choosing to go with a tankless water heater is that you won’t run out of hot water. Since a tankless system only heats up water as you need it, there is no stored supply to deplete. For large families, this can be a significant advantage. And even though tankless systems cost more to install, they offer energy savings because they do not remain on constantly to keep a supply of water warm at all times. If your tankless system lasts long enough, it will pay for itself with energy-efficiency. Thankfully, tankless system can often last for many years longer than a storage system, since they do not suffer from the wear of holding large amounts of water.
Call our Allentown, PA water heater installation specialists at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling to find out more about where you should fall in the tank vs. tankless debate. We will help you calculate water use and energy use to discover if you should upgrade to a tankless model, or if the tried-and-true storage water heater is the better choice.