Traditional Water Heater

Traditional water heaters use a large holding tank which sits on legs, on the floor. These units are typically placed in a basement or garage. The conventional water heater heats water and stores it for use in the water tank. As hot water comes out of the tank, cold water replaces it in the bottom to be heated. This method ensures that you have a certain amount of hot water on hand at all times. However, if you use too much at once, your water will turn cold because the tank now needs to heat the new water inside of it. These units typically use more energy than a tankless water heater because they must heat and store water even when it is not in use. Conventional water heaters are less expensive to buy and install than a tankless water heater, making them popular choices.

Tankless Water Heater

Tankless water heaters are smaller units that are mounted to the wall, versus standing on legs on the floor of your garage or basement like a traditional water heater. This saves you valuable space in your home or garage. Tankless water heaters heat water on demand by using a high powered heating element. The heating element inside of the tank heats the water as it passes through the small unit. This creates hot water as you need it, you will no longer "run out" of hot water. This variety of water heaters is typically more energy efficient than conventional models, because it does not need to heat and store water. Tankless water heaters are typically more expensive to purchase and install than tanked water heaters.