Tank vs Tankless Water Heaters
The short answer
A tank heater keeps a set amount of water hot and ready. A tankless heater heats water as it flows through the unit. Replacing a standard tank has a published starting price; a tankless installation is priced after a site assessment, because the gas line, venting and electrical the house already has decide the scope.
Tank water heaters
A tank heater stores hot water and keeps it at temperature. When you use a lot of hot water at once, the tank can run out until it reheats. A standard tank replacement usually reconnects to the water lines, gas and venting the old heater used.
Tankless water heaters
A tankless heater heats water on demand as it passes through. How much hot water it can deliver at once depends on the unit's capacity and how many fixtures are running. Switching from a tank to tankless often means changes to the gas line, venting, electrical and condensate drainage.
What we look at before recommending either
- Gas-line size and whether it can supply the new equipment.
- Venting, and whether the existing vent can be reused.
- Electrical requirements.
- Condensate handling.
- Where the heater will go, and access to it.
- How your household uses hot water.
Brands
We install and recommend Ruud, Rheem, State Water Heaters and Bradford White water heaters.
Common questions
How much does a tankless water heater installation cost?
There's no public starting price for tankless. The cost depends on gas-line sizing, venting, electrical requirements, condensate handling and the location, so we price it after a site assessment.
More answers on the FAQ page .
Services on this topic
When your plumbing is a disaster, call the Master
Clogged, Backed Up, or Flooding? Call the Master.
From a stubborn kitchen drain to a collapsed sewer line, the DrainMaster crew has Greater Columbus covered. Phones are answered after hours, and we schedule a licensed local plumber as soon as one is available.
- We explain what we find in plain English
- You approve the price before any work starts
- Licensed & insured Ohio plumbers