Choosing between a tank and tankless water depends a lot on your needs, the needs of your family and the needs of your home. It also depends on understanding how each type of unit works. Before choosing a new water heater for installation, let’s take a look at how both a tank and tankless water heater operates.
Tankless
There are two types of tankless water heaters, but no matter what the type, they each function the same way. The key to tankless water heaters is a heat exchanger. This component is what allows the tankless unit to heat your water on demand. The heat exchanger of a hot water heater resides at the core of the unit, and when you open a hot water tap, cold water flows into the heat exchanger. Using electricity or gas, the heat exchanger quickly heats and transfers this heat to the cold water, which is then delivered to your tap. All heat exchangers have a pre-set maximum temperature to ensure that you aren’t scalded. Some of the benefits of a tankless water heater are:
- High energy efficiency
- Continuous hot water
- Saves space due to its small size
Tank
Tank water heaters have been around for years. Using a storage tank, these water heaters can use natural gas, propane, oil or electricity to heat the water. The heated water is held in the storage tank until it is used, and then the tank is refilled and the new water is heated to the set temperature. Some of the benefits of a tank water heater are:
- Low initial costs
- Low venting costs
- Large variety of sizes available
So which type is best for you? One of the best ways to determine this is to work with a trained professional who can assess your needs and the needs of your family. Water usage is part of the picture, so it’s important to have an accurate calculation of your peak hour water usage, which a trained expert can help you with. If you are ready for a new water heater installation in Eugene, call Comfort Flow Heating today and schedule an appointment with one of our experts.
