Water heaters are a vital part of any home. They supply you with a refreshing shower in the morning, a relaxing hot bath after a long day of work, and allow you to keep your dishes squeaky clean. In short, your water heater is an integral part of daily life.
If your water heater is on the fritz, the question isn’t whether or not to replace it; it’s what sort of heater best serves your needs. In the past, traditional tank heaters were the end of the conversation, but nowadays, you have a choice between three major types of water heaters: traditional, hybrid, and tankless. Each style of water heater comes with its own unique benefits and drawbacks. For this reason, it’s important to know exactly which type suits you and your household best before making that all-important purchasing decision.
So without further ado, here are the pros and cons of the three main types of water heaters, to lend a helping hand when choosing your water heater.
Traditional
Traditional water heaters hold a large volume of water, which is preheated and stored until needed. Once the water is used up, the tank refills and reheats itself.
Pros
Traditional water heaters are cheap to install and easy to replace. Almost every house already has the basic plumbing required to accommodate these heaters, and replacing an old one is usually just a matter of fitting a new one in its place. Due to the large tank, they have a great flow rate and are a simple and reliable method of heating your household water.
Cons
As traditional water heaters are constantly heating whenever they’re switched on, the energy costs can be high. They take up a lot of space and are therefore often not the best option for smaller apartments. They also have a relatively short lifespan and tend to need replacing after around 10 to 15 years.
Hybrid
Hybrid water heaters also heat stored water, but they use ambient heat from the surrounding air. Heating elements are only activated when the ambient temperature is not enough to keep the water hot.
Pros
As hybrid heaters use less energy to heat the water, they tend to be the cheapest to operate. In warm climates, and if the tank is kept in a warm part of the house, these savings can be significant.
Cons
Hybrid heaters are expensive to buy and install. They take up a lot of space and require around 1,000 cubic feet of air surrounding them to function. They require regular maintenance and are not always compatible with standard plumbing.
Tankless
A tankless system uses a heating element to heat water only when required – when a tap is turned on, for instance, or when an appliance is used.
Pros
Tankless water heaters offer unlimited hot water. They are also extremely energy-efficient and will offer up great medium and long-term savings. The systems themselves tend to be wall-mounted and don’t take up much space, and they have a lifespan of over 20 years. Because of their energy-efficiency, they often also qualify for certain rebates or credits.
Cons
The major downside of tankless heaters is the upfront cost. They are expensive to purchase and can be costly to install if the plumbing in your home needs to be retrofitted.
So there you have it! We hope this short read has given you the information you need to make the best decision based on your needs, budget and location. For advice and assistance in deciding the most appropriate choice for your home, get in touch with State 48 Drains today!