Water Heater Options
Consider what’s right for your home.
Tank or Tankless
When you need a water heater for a new home or a replacement, it is important to consider your water usage, budget, equipment efficiency, and lifespan. We have listed pros and cons to help you make an educated decision, but happy to assist you further. Just give us a call at 978-851-8915.
Tank-Style Water Heater
Considered “traditional” and also referred to as storage water heater.
An insulated tank typically holds 30-50 gallons of ready-to-use hot water. When water is distributed through your home, it is automatically replaced, heated, and stored for when it is needed.
Tankless Water Heater
Also called “on-demand” water heater.
These units use high-powered burners to heat water as it runs through a heat exchanger and rapidly deliver hot water where needed, without storing it in a tank.
PROS
• Lower cost and installation
• Hot water supply storage
• Less expensive repairs
CONS
• Requires large space
• Shorter lifespan
• Higher utility bills due to constant water heating
PROS
• Long-term energy and cost savings
• Better temperature control
• Takes up much less space
CONS
• Higher cost, installation, and repair
• No hot water during a power outage
• Difficulty providing hot water demand with multiple water sources in use
Be a smart shopper – know what your water usage is.
When considering which type of water heater is right for your home, it’s important to know a key metric – flow rate. Each tankless water heater has a maximum flow rate, the amount of water that can be heated at a given time. Depending on your household, if multiple taps, showers, or appliances are simultaneously in use, and the flow rate capacity is too low, there will not be enough hot water. Tankless units are available in various sizes and equipped for low or high water usage, but it’s important to know what you need.
