Plumbing Guide
Tank or tankless water heater
By All Purpose Anytime Services LLC
Tankless gets sold as the obvious upgrade. It suits some houses very well and others badly, and the gas supply usually decides it more than the size of the family.
What tankless changes
It heats on demand, so it does not run out and it does not stand there keeping a tank warm all day. It also takes up far less space, which in a row house or a small utility closet is worth something on its own.
The gas supply is the deciding factor
A tankless unit asks for far more gas at once than a tank does. If the line serving the house cannot carry it, the line has to be upsized, and that is where a straightforward swap becomes a project.
Anybody quoting tankless without looking at the gas supply has not priced the job.
Hard water
Scale on a tankless heat exchanger costs efficiency and then costs the unit. Annual descaling is not optional maintenance here, and a softener or filter is worth discussing before the unit goes in.
When a good tank is the better answer
Smaller households, electric-only properties, and houses where the gas supply would need upgrading. A well sized tank with an anode looked after will serve those better for less money.
The price gap
How much more does a tankless water heater cost than a standard tank?
Noticeably more, and most of the gap is the installation. The unit costs more than a tank, and the install usually needs a new vent, a gas line big enough to feed it and often an electrical connection. If the line has to be upsized from the meter, a well sized tank is often the better call. We price a tank and a tankless side by side so you see the real difference for your house.
Weighing tank against tankless?
Send the size of the household and a photo of the current heater and its vent. We price both options side by side so you can compare.