To Tank or Not to Tank? Choosing Between Tank and Tankless Water Heaters

You have to let it all go, Neo — fear, doubt, and disbelief. Free your mind! And decide which water heater suits you best. In this article, we will compare tank and tankless water heaters.

Tank and Tankless Water Heaters

How Are Tank and Tankless Water Heaters Different?

TANK WATER HEATER

A storage tank water heater is the water heater we all know.

Usually they can store 20 to 80 gallons of hot water;
Takes quite a bit of space;
The life expectancy is about 10 to 15 years per unit;
Installation cost averages from $400 to $1,000 (labor only).

TANKLESS WATER HEATER

A water heater that only heats water when needed.

Heats up water at an average rate of 2-5 gallons per minute;
Does not require much space;
The life expectancy may be more than 20 years;
The installation cost averages around $2,500 (labor only).

Another point that differs between tank and tankless water heaters is energy efficiency. Tankless water heaters are 8 to 34% more efficient to run than storage water heaters because they heat water on-demand. So there is never any “wasted” heat. However, this can have a downside as well. If the household requires a lot of hot water simultaneously, a tankless water heater may not always be able to handle it.

As you can see, a tankless water heater outperforms a storage water heater in almost every category except for installation cost. If price is a concern, then it would make sense to calculate your capacity needs and energy usage.

Whatever water heater you choose, FUSE can help with its installation. For California residents, it would make a lot of sense to get a heat pump water heater since you can get a rebate for it. Give us a call at (408) 898-1576 or send an email to support@fuseservice.com to learn more about the rebate, differences, and what would fit your household best.

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Deena D.

2024-04-19

Very nice, knowledgeable, and helpful technician. Provided the options and associated costs. Would use this company again.

Ron B.

2024-04-17

We chose Fuse to do the HVAC portion of our home remodel and we're very happy with their work! They installed a full Mitsubishi Mini-split heat pump system all throughout our house in 6 rooms. It was a massive job and they did the work relatively quickly and efficiently. The supervisor, Maxim, was very friendly and knowledgeable. Out of several bids that we got, theirs was the only one that gave us everything we wanted at a competitive cost. We'd be happy to recommend Fuse! We also had Fuse Electric work on the electrical portion of our home remodel, for which I wrote up a separate review.

Pablo L. D.

2024-04-10

Great service. They respond really fast and did a great job fixing my thermostat issues.

Manu B.

2024-04-07

We got our duct work completely replaced in our 50 yr old home. They recommended the work, other companies didn't do this much due diligence and mentioned about asbestos but FUSE technicians went step ahead and climbed into attic and our crawl space to ensure there were no asbestos to begin with. Honest people and very competitive if not best quote I got. Moreover the installer, David and Jeremy worked 2 long days non stop to get work done at our home with 100% satisfaction. David explained everything to me and provided other recommendations for future. He is the most honest technician I have encountered in so long. Because of David I wouldn't hesitate to work with FUSE again. Thank you for such a great work. Very happy and highly recommend FUSE!!

K R.

2024-04-05

The technical crews were excellent; very knowledgeable and capable. They were able to do our HVAC, water heater and ductwork replacement even when faced with several unexpected and very challenging situations. David in particular worked some very long hours to get everything installed correctly. The administration side had a few glitches, but everything worked out OK. I would recommend them, but if you are eligible for the Penninsula Clean Energy interest free loan, be sure to apply for it before the work is completed.

Matthew J.

2024-04-05

Exceptional service from FUSE HVAC! They installed a Mitsubishi HVAC system in our home, and we couldn't be happier. The team was professional, knowledgeable, and efficient throughout the process. Our home is now perfectly comfortable year-round, thanks to their expertise. From consultation to installation, everything was seamless and hassle-free. Highly recommend FUSE HVAC for anyone looking for top-notch HVAC solutions!

Amitabha C.

2024-04-04

Fuse HVAC installed Mitsubishi Heat pump in my house and completed the project on 31st March 2024. David and Jeremy started the project and David finished the installation. David worked Saturday and Sunday until 11 PM to complete the work. It took 4 1/2 days. I am very happy with the work that David performed. I was watching the process of installation of the pump and was very satisfied to see that after finishing each step David will spend 10-15 min inspecting the work that he did to make sure that there was no mistake. The result was that during pressure testing to check for gas leakage or when the heat pump was run there was no unanticipated issue. The new ductwork that was installed by FUSE passed the HERS test. FUSE is also installing the attic fan to keep the air circulation going and keep the attic cooler. FUSE was referred to by my friend who used them for installing a similar heat pump and although they were a little more expensive than a few quotes I got from other vendors, I decided to go with them based on my friend's recommendation. I had made a right choice! My only criticism for FUSE is they are not able to estimate the time that it will take to finish the project. They told me it will be done in 3 days but it took 4 1/2 days. My project needed the air handler to be moved to the attic but because the space which had the gas heater was too narrow for the air handler. On the whole it was a good experience working with FUSE. They kept us warm for two days with heater fans and David worked Easter Sunday until 11 PM to install and start up the system without hurrying up at any step to get the installation completed earlier. A big thanks to him and to his assistant Jeremy!

To Tank or Not to Tank? Choosing Between Tank and Tankless Water Heaters

How Are Tank and Tankless Water Heaters Different?

TANK WATER HEATER

TANKLESS WATER HEATER

As you can see, a tankless water heater outperforms a storage water heater in almost every category except for installation cost. If price is a concern, then it would make sense to calculate your capacity needs and energy usage.

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