Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
houses14

Tankless or tank water heater

houses14
9 years ago

Hello All,

I will have basement for my new custom home. With natural gas, should I go with traditional tank or tankless water heater?

2 people ( 3 more may come home occasionally)
5 BR + 5 Full BATHs
4300SF + 2000SF basement
All hardwood floors (except bathrooms)
Hickory, NC

Thank you

This post was edited by houses14 on Tue, Apr 29, 14 at 12:14

Comments (7)

  • Spottythecat
    9 years ago

    Gas tankless! We have 2 of them and we LOVE them...Endless hot water on demand! I will never have a cold bath! Or shower!

    Our home is 4600 sq feet. 2 adults/2 kids and usually 4 extra kids on the weekends....

    They take up so little space! Love them!

    Pam

  • debrak2008
    9 years ago

    Determine what the delay time would be. When we considered it the place who we thought was going to install it actually talked us out of it (not on purpose). They told us about how we had to run the water for a few minutes before we would get hot water. Told us that with a HE washer we should run hot water in the nearest sink before turning on the washer to ensure hot water. A friend who has tankless said it was a big mistake. The delay time is so much longer than with a tank system. We ended up getting a 2 tank system where one tank preheats the water before going into the 2nd tank which then takes it up to the highest temp.

  • bdpeck-charlotte
    9 years ago

    When people talk about the delay on Tankless (which is true, I have a pair of tankless), they forget that why you don't have a delay with a tank, is that the tank is heating the water up into your hot supply line which then cools off and conitnues to suck heat out of your tank. Tankless saves a little energy, but at the expense of a couple gallons (I did the math for my home) of wasted water. It's pick your poison.

    Tankless could be installed very close to your master bath which would minimize the delay. Hot water recirculating pumps with a small electric tank could be installed to keep warm water at all taps.

    I really think most of the pros and cons washout and the decision comes down to "endless hot water" vs the delay.

    If you have a big tub or love long showers, that should outweight the delay. If that's not the case for you, then a tank is a less expensive option.

    Brian

  • shifrbv
    9 years ago

    It also depends on source of water.

    Well may be better of with tank

  • _sophiewheeler
    9 years ago

    The production method has zero to do with how long it takes to get hot water at a fixture. And it has everything to do with WHERE the hot water is produced, and the pipe layout to get it to the fixtures. You might get a 1/2 second delay from when the tap is turned until the burners ignite. Locate a tanless centrally in the home, or two in the ''wings'' and you won't have any issues. There are only a handfull of places in the country that 4 gallons of cold water going down the shower drain would even begin to rival the gas expenditure for the 199K BTU burners for 90 seconds. And either is dirt cheap. Unless you're talking bottled water!

  • schicksal
    9 years ago

    Water heater with a tank + recirculation pump with a dedicated return line.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    See this recent thread also

    Here is a link that might be useful: on demand hot water...