Tank water heaters are the most popular water heaters in use today. But does that mean it is the right option for everyone’s home? Tank water heaters have many positives and negatives, depending on the size of the home, water usage, and fuel source available.
Pros:
- Ease of Installation and Removal. Tank water heaters are easy to install and remove. The entire process of installation takes a few hours. When replacing a water heater, the process is equally simple; just drain the tank and take it out.
- A tank water heater is easily adapted between power sources. It is simple to change a water heater that was running on natural gas to electricity. The change also is not very expensive.
- Works in a Blackout. When a tank water heater runs from natural gas, as opposed to electricity, a home has hot water during a blackout because the water heater constantly keeps its tank full and hot.
- Tank water heaters are cheap to install in the home. Their affordable price is one of the things that made them so popular.
- Easy to Fix. Finding parts for tank water heaters is simple and repairs are usually not overly complex.
- Tank water heaters come with tanks that hold 20 to 80 gallons of water at a time. They are ideal for large families that need a lot of hot water daily.
Cons:
- Tank water heaters are easily affected by the weather and must be kept indoors, such as in a closet or garage.
- The large size of tank water heaters takes up a lot of space inside a home, especially in apartments or smaller homes.
- Tank water heaters keep a large amount of water hot constantly. They use energy to maintain this temperature whether the homeowner uses the water or not, resulting in wasted energy and higher bills.
- Tank water heaters last 10-15 years, as compared to other water heaters that last upwards of 20.
- Wait Time. When the water is completely used, occupants must wait for the water heater to refill and reheat the water, which can take half an hour or more.
