A tankless water heater uses less energy, lasts longer and frees up space, but it costs more to install. A tank water heater costs less up front and is quicker to replace. If you plan to stay in your home for years, tankless usually pays off. If you need hot water back today or the budget is tight, a new tank is a solid choice.
A tank water heater keeps 40 to 50 gallons of water hot around the clock so it’s ready when you open a tap. A tankless unit heats water only when you need it, passing it over a burner or heating element as it flows through.
Water heating is a bigger expense than most people realize. The Department of Energy puts it at about 18 percent of a typical home’s energy use, second only to heating and cooling.
Because a tankless unit doesn’t spend energy keeping water hot while you sleep or work, it uses less. The Department of Energy estimates tankless heaters can be 24 to 34 percent more energy efficient than tank heaters in homes that use 41 gallons of hot water a day or less, and 8 to 14 percent more efficient in homes that use a lot of hot water, around 86 gallons a day. Smaller households see the biggest savings.
Lifespan
The same Department of Energy guide says most tank heaters last 10 to 15 years, while tankless units can last more than 20. Hard water shortens both, which matters here, since most of our service area has hard water.
Upfront Cost
A tank heater costs less to buy and install, especially when it’s replacing another tank in the same spot. A tankless conversion costs more because it often needs a larger gas line, new venting, a condensate drain and sometimes an electrical outlet. That installation work is the biggest reason people stay with a tank. When we quote a conversion, we’ll check your gas line and venting first so the price covers everything.
Hot Water Supply
A tank can run out when several people shower back to back. A tankless unit doesn’t run out, but it can only heat so much water at a time. If you regularly run two showers and the dishwasher together, the unit has to be sized for that. We size every tankless unit to your household rather than picking a model off the shelf.
Space
Tankless units mount on a wall, often outside, and free up the closet or garage corner where the tank sat. In condos, townhomes and smaller homes, that space is a real bonus.
Maintenance
Tank heaters collect sediment at the bottom and should be flushed periodically. Tankless units need a descaling flush about once a year in hard water areas to keep scale off the heat exchanger. A water softener helps either type last longer.
California requires tank water heaters to be strapped to the wall to keep them from tipping in an earthquake. Los Angeles building department guidance, for example, calls for two straps, one in the upper third of the tank and one in the lower third, at least 4 inches above the controls. We strap and permit every installation to code.
We use acoustic and thermal leak detection equipment to pinpoint the leak through the floor. That means we only open the floor where the leak actually is, not across the whole room.
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