Tankless Water Heater VS. Traditional Water Heater

When it comes to building a custom home, you are likely to put a lot of thought into how you want your ideal home to look, as you should; however, the smaller details of home building, such as deciding which type of water heater you should have in your home, can be easily overlooked. Choosing the best kind of water heater for your home plays a large part in the overall efficiency and comfortability you experience in your custom home. 

Why Are Water Heaters So Important? 

Overall, your home’s water heater plays an essential role in the amount of comfort you feel within your home. Whether you are taking a hot shower, washing dishes, or washing clothes, your water heater is at work to help you do the tasks that you have at hand with comfort and ease. Tankless and traditional water heaters each have different benefits to offer that could add additional comfort and ease to the environment of your custom home.

What Is A Tankless Water Heater?

A tankless water heater is an upgraded, compact, and efficient model of a water heater, heating water on demand using a small tank. 

The Advantages

  • Tankless water heaters are compact.
  • Tankless water heaters heat water only when needed. 
  • Tankless water heaters are energy-efficient, saving up to 27-50% on energy.
  • Tankless water heaters usually last up to 20 years plus.

The Disadvantages

  • Tankless water heaters have a high upfront cost. 
  • Tankless water heaters may have trouble keeping up with multiple hot water demands (large families may need more than one tankless water heater).
  • A tankless water heater may be costly to maintain.

What is A Traditional Water Heater?

A traditional water heater is the older form of water heating technology. These water heaters include a 30–50-gallon tank that stores heated water until it is needed. Traditional water heaters can be powered by natural gas, propane, or electricity. 

The Advantages

  • Traditional water heaters are more affordable than regular water heaters.
  • Traditional water heaters are cheaper to maintain than tankless water heaters.
  • Some traditional water heaters are insulated to combat heat loss during the winter.

The Disadvantages

  • Traditional water heaters take up a lot of space.
  • Traditional water heaters have a shorter lifespan than tankless water heaters, lasting up to 10-15 years.
  • Traditional water heaters can only hold so much hot water, meaning you can only use cold water afterward until the tank is refilled.

Chris Mill Homes aim to build you a home you can love for many years to come. For questions about choosing the right water heater for your custom build, give us a call at (229) 249-0901.