Timberk

Tankless or Storage: What Kind of Water Heater to Choose

The creation of comfortable living conditions for you and your family is a natural wish and aim of any person. The continuously running hot water is one of such conditions, and being faced with the problem of its periodic absence in summer, and, quite frequently, in winter, we find a solution by installing an electric water heater. But how can we correctly choose such a device? As the professional manufacturer of water heaters, Timberk knows the answers to these questions!

The first thing you need to know is that water heaters are divided into two types, and the fundamental difference between them is the method of heating and supplying of water:

§ Tankless water heaters

§ Storage water heaters

Which type will suit you the best? When answering this question, you need to take into account a number of characteristics and peculiarities of each of the types, as well as the parameters of water supply system and premises, which you plan to install a water heater in.

First, let us define what the difference is between a tankless water heater and a storage water heater. They differ in the main thing – the operating principle. The first one heats water up directly in the flow: water enters the water heater, where it is instantaneously heated up by a powerful heating element and supplied to the user. Storage water heaters work in the opposite way – water is accumulated in tank, where it gradually heats up, and after a while (30 to 50 minutes) you can use it.

For good and detailed comparison of tankless and storage water heaters and in order to select the most suitable device, you need to assess the following characteristics:

§ sustainable use of resources

§ device dimensions

§ usability and maintainability

§ complexity of mounting

§ servicing

§ cost

Use of resources

At first thought, it may seem that the difference in power consumed for heating of water by a tankless water heater and a storage water heater is significant, however, it is not exactly the case. Both devices consume approximately equal amount of power. In the first case, the power consumption is more intensive, and in case with storage water heaters – it is gradual. It is all about the duration of their operation. The first ones are switched on for a very limited period, while the second ones work virtually continuously maintaining the temperature of water in tank so that it can be used at any time.

The definite answer to the question of what kind of water heater is more cost-efficient (tankless or storage) lies in the analysis of power consumption characteristics of specific models of water heaters.

Device dimensions

One more key difference is the device dimensions and design. Since water in a storage water heater heats up in a tank, even 30-liter storage water heaters are quite large. The larger the liter capacity – the larger the dimensions.

Tankless water heater are much more compact and lightweight. It makes it possible to install them at places where there is no space for a storage water heater. They simply fit in small niches, kitchen cabinets or under the sink, and you can secure them on any surface.

To correctly estimate the parameter considered, what kind of water heater to choose – a storage or tankless one – you simply need to have a look on premises and find out whether there is enough space for hanging of a large tank and whether there is a suitable wall to withstand the multi-kilogram weight of the device.

Usability and maintainability

Since we are talking about the improvement of living comfort, the comparison of tankless and storage water heaters will be exhaustive only if this issue is considered as well.

When deciding what kind of water heater to buy, tankless or storage, it is good to identify the needs it will be used for and what volume of water per day shall be heated up. To make water warm even in winter (the heating delta of a tankless water heater is approximately 20°C, and the temperature of cold water in winter is lower than in summer), the device power shall be at least 8 kW, which significantly increases the requirements to house wiring in order to assure the safe operation. If the power is low, then the device will slightly warm water up, and it will be enough only for hand washing. So, this is the essential difference of a tankless water heater from a storage water heater. The latter is much more practical and useable. Firstly, it can assure the hot water supply in the entire house, if the necessary volume is calculated correctly. Secondly, you can heat water up to the desired comfortable temperature in any season if you have a tank. By the way, taking a bath is also possible, which is hard to do if you use the competitor.

Device installation

Taking into account the dimensions and weight of storage water heaters they require very reliable mounting. One common receptacle will be enough for power supply to the device.

Tankless water heaters are more demanding. Powerful models have stringent requirements to the quality of house wiring, and you will need a protective circuit breaker and three-phase circuit.

Price

As far as the price is concerned, there are the following advantages:

§ low-power tankless water heaters have the lowest price

§ high-quality devices with good power are expensive

§ storage water heaters with similar parameters occupy the middle and top segments of the price range

With Timberk product range you can always find and select both a tankless water heater and a storage water heater satisfying you own needs. Whatever you choose – it will be the smart choice.

 

Enjoy comfort with Timberk!

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