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In the average New Jersey home, the water heater can account for as much as 25 percent of energy use. According to the EPA, a full 17 percent goes to showering. If your household needs a new water heater, it’s a good idea to investigate energy-efficient options that could save you energy. In conventional, storage water heaters, a tank fills with water and is kept constantly hot. Once you use up all the hot water, you have to wait for the tank to refill and reheat before more is available. Also, storage tanks can’t reduce the amount of energy they waste, because the heater is constantly on. New tankless water heaters only heat water when it’s needed, using pipes heated by gas burners or electrical elements. When you turn on the faucet, cool water flows through, picking up the heat on the way. No storage tank is necessary, and you have an unlimited supply of hot water. Additionally, tankless systems also take up much less space than conventional storage water heaters. However, each system has its unique advantages and disadvantages. Below, we compare and contrast the two types of the water heater. Storage tank water heaters…+ Cost less up front+ Can usually be installed without adjustments to your home or electric panel- May end up costing more in operating costs over their lifetime, since energy loss is unavoidable- Offer a limited supply of hot water- Generally last around ten to 15 years Tankless, or demand, water heaters…+ Save energy by only heating water as needed+ Offer an unlimited supply of hot water+ Typically pay for themselves several times over during their lifespan+ Last around 20 years, compared to storage tanks systems, which generally last around ten to 15 years+ Can be installed to work with specific hot-water-hungry appliances, like clothes washing machines- Cost more up front- Have a limited flow rate, meaning that if your household uses large quantities of heated water, you may need more than one system- May require minor adjustments to your home What it all boils down to is that tankless water heater systems have been proven to generate more energy savings and less waste than storage water heater tanks. If you’d like to learn more about tankless water heaters, call Pipe Works Services. We’ll be happy to answer your questions! Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. Pipe Works Services serves Chatham, NJ, and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website.
