A water heater is one of those systems that often goes ignored, but is one of the most important parts of a home. If you’re in the market for a new water heater, you may be surprised to discover that there are actually a number of radically different types of systems to choose from. Each system is suited to a different type of situation, so it’s important that you pick the one that meets your specific needs. Let’s take a look at two of the most popular water heater types, and which might be best for you.
Tank Water Heaters
The oldest and most popular type of water heater. Tank water heaters are systems that store and heat large amounts of water at all times, in case it is needed. When you turn on the faucet, hot water leaves the tank and more water is piped in to the system to be heated. This is convenient, because it prevents the system from becoming exhausted as easily. A tank water heater is ideal for a large house with multiple occupants, as it can more easily cope with that level of demand. However, tank water heaters do waste a lot of energy on an annual basis keeping water heated at all times. If you’re looking for a more energy efficient solution, you may want to look at a tankless model instead.
Tankless Water Heaters
A tankless water heater doesn’t store water, but heats it on the way to its destination. When the system is not in use, it turns off in order to conserve energy. This makes it more efficient than the tank water heater, though it does mean that the system is more easily overwhelmed by high levels of demand. There is also a slight delay between when hot water is requested and when it arrives at the faucet.
Sunset Air offers water heater services of all kinds throughout Olympia, WA.
