Whether you live in Watertown, Newton, Belmont, or Waltham (or any towns nearby), you may know neighbors who’ve had high-efficiency tankless water heaters installed in their homes. Is tankless the right choice for you? Here’s a quick look at the differences between tankless and tank-style water heaters.
As their name implies, tankless water heaters don’t have a tank—so you’ll never run out of hot water. This reason alone is why some people choose a tankless water heater for their homes. If you’re looking for a “greener” and more efficient hot-water solution, a tankless water heater could also be a good choice. That’s because it shuts down and goes into idle mode when you’re away on vacation. If your tankless water heater is natural gas, that idle mode means you’ll be using less gas over time. Compare that to a tank-style water heater, which is always “on” and working constantly to keep your water hot.
Tankless water heaters are definitely more expensive to purchase than traditional, tank-style water heaters. But if you’re willing to make that investment, you can get rebates of up to $1,000 for purchasing a tankless water heater. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of annual maintenance—tankless water heaters require regular servicing in order to operate at maximum efficiency.
In contrast, tank-style water heaters are a low-to-no-maintenance solution once they’re installed. They’re also less expensive to purchase than tankless water heaters, and you won’t have to pay for annual service visits. Just keep in mind that with tank-style water heaters, there’s the risk of running out of hot water and having to wait for more. They also have a lifespan of 6-10 years, so you’ll want to take that into consideration as well. Contact us for more information about these two water heater options. We can help you make the choice that works best for you and your situation.