Tankless Water Heater Pros & Cons
Pros:
With a tankless water heater you may never run out of hot water, assuming you don’t have a mechanical failure or a power failure.
You do not have to wait to take a shower after someone else takes a shower which could be possible with a tank water heater if. If you have a big family or if someone takes extended time in the shower you know what I am talking about.
With no standby heat loss, energy can be saved.
Cons:
If you wish to convert from a tank water heater to a tankless the following should be considered:
The gas line required to supply a tank water heater is not large enough to support a tankless. You will need to install a minimum of a ¾” gas line to your tankless water heater. (An additional cost.)
Hard water is very hard on the heat exchanger of a tankless water heater and accessories have to be added in order to meet manufacturer’s warranty. (An additional cost.)
If the conversion is made to tankless venting will become an issue. You will not be able to use the vent used for your tank type water heater. (An additional cost.)
Tankless water heaters are limited to how many faucets and or appliances can be used at the same time. Factors such as incoming water temperature, the altitude the home is located and the gpm rating of the appliances or faucets in the home all need to be factored in before making your purchase. If your tankless water heater is not sized properly for your needs you will not be happy. The larger the tankless water heater you need the more expensive the initial cost.
If a hot water circulator is needed to get hot water to your faucet immediately without wasting water, additional accessories must be added to the tankless water heater. These accessories defeat the original purpose of saving energy by using a tankless water heater.
Tankless water heater systems must be maintained annually to avoid expensive repairs or replacements. In many cases parts for repairs are not readily available; it could take one to 2 days for your repair and an additional trip for your service person. (An additional cost.)
Most tankless water heaters do not work during a power outage.
In many cases it could take as much as 22 years to get your return on your investment with a tankless water heater.
Tank Type Water Heater Pros & Cons
Pros:
Replacing and installing a tank water heater can be very cost effective versus a new tankless water heater. The average cost to install a new tankless water heater is about $1200 to $2500 depending on the application. A tank water heater will average out at about $800 depending on the size.
Less things to break. A gas water heater has no electrical components. It works during a power outage.
A hot water circulator can be used if needed. This saves water and reduces water flow to septic systems.
You can use a Gas Water Heater Timer to lower your energy cost and extend the life of your water heater and avoid the huge cost of changing to a tankless water heater.
Cons:
Hot water might run out and like as mentioned earlier, you might have to wait for the tank to reheat.
Without a timer, standby heat loss will occur. This will cause your water heater to fire as many as 3 times a day whether you use it or not.
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