When selecting a water heater, it’s important to know that there are several different types of water heaters to choose from.

Deciding which one best suits your needs involve weighing several different factors. Although tankless units are available, you may simply want a conventional hot water heater.

Our team at Perfect Home Services will be glad to help you sort through your options if you’re not sure which is right for your home.

Benefits of Having a Conventional Water Heater

A conventional hot water heater typically consists of a tank, where preheated water is stored. When you use hot water, the tank sends it to the appropriate fixture.

This is different from tankless models, which only heat up water on-demand. Conventional water heaters offer a range of key benefits that other types of water heaters can’t, including the following:

More Water

Because a tankless water heater only provides hot water when you need it, instead of keeping a certain quantity stored at all times, it’s easy to “run out” of hot water with a tankless model.

This is especially common if you have many occupants in your home. When one person is taking a shower, another is trying to do dishes, and another is washing their hands, tankless heaters often fail to supply enough water for everyone’s needs.

That’s less of a problem with conventional models.

Lower Upfront Costs

Typically, a conventional hot water heater costs less than a tankless model.

While this rule doesn’t necessarily apply universally, it tends to be the case. Tankless heaters may help you save money in the long run thanks to increased efficiency, but it can take several years before the savings offset the initial cost.

Consistent Performance

Conventional units always keep a certain amount of water in storage.

This helps when the power goes out. Tankless heaters typically require electricity to heat up water, and thus serve little purpose when you don’t have power.

The tank of a conventional unit can offer a reserve supply of hot water in these instances. If your heater uses gas instead of electricity to generate hot water, it will be even more reliable.