A water heater is a definite must-have in all Malaysian homes. Nothing feels better than to start and end your day with a warm shower and what better way to enjoy that than investing in a water heater that can provide you with a continuous, stable and instantaneous hot water supply. To enjoy such an experience, you simply have to invest and install a tankless or storage water heater for your house.
The next question would be: ‘What are tankless water heaters and storage water heaters?’
These two types of water heaters deliver the same purpose: to provide a reliable, consistent and stable source of hot water to cater to your household’s hot shower or bath needs. Since its first introduction to the market, the world of water heaters has changed drastically. Newer water heating solutions are equipped with more advanced features and technologies, making them more efficient, durable and reliable. In addition to this, there are now many more sizes, designs and models available to choose from. With such greater variety, consumers will, undoubtedly, become overwhelmed and experience a more difficult time deciding which water heater solution would suit them and their household best.
We understand that looking for a water heater can be a troublesome and confusing process as there are many different options in the market. Thus, to better narrow down your focus, let’s take a deeper look into whether a tankless water heater or a storage water heater would suit your needs better.
Storage water heaters come in two variations – gas or electric. The tank is protected to ensure that the water in the inner tank is kept warm and heated. Storage water heaters also feature a regulator to control the general temperature of the water so that it can deliver hot or warm water at the desired temperature the appliance is set at. Storage water heaters are a very common water heating solution for many homes.
Tankless water heaters, also known as instant water heaters, provide convenience, is energy efficient and saves significant space in your house due to their size. This water heating solution delivers instantaneous hot water on-demand. With tankless water heaters, there is no longer a need to wait for all the water in the tank to heat up before enjoying a hot shower.
However, the question remains: which one to pick – storage water heaters or tankless water heaters? Below are 4 factors to help you in deciding which type of water heater to install in your home.
Tankless water heaters are significantly more energy-efficient than conventional storage water heaters. A tankless water heater heats the water to the desired temperature on-demand. Thus, the energy is only consumed exclusively when the tankless water heater is on.
In comparison, for storage water heaters, water is stored away in a sizable, insulated tank. When the water stored in the tank cools down and falls below the desired temperature, the storage tank will start operating again to warm the stored water in the tank once more. Thus, because the water heater is working constantly to warm the water in the tank to reach the desired temperature set, storage water heaters are less energy-efficient compared to tankless water heaters.
An energy-proficient water heater can help save more money on electricity bills in the long run. Before purchasing a water heater, it would be worthwhile to take some time to search for one with a higher Energy Factor (EF). The EF of a water heater shows the general energy efficiency based on the amount of heated water that is produced per unit of power consumed on average. This means that the higher the Energy Factor, the more efficient the water heater is.
While tankless water heaters cost most than storage water heaters, the amount that can be potentially saved in the long run is something worth taking into consideration when deciding to purchase a tankless water heater or a storage water heater. If you’re looking for a more long-term economical solution, purchasing tankless water may be the way to go.
A regular storage water heater is significantly larger in size as compared to a tankless water heater. Due to their size, storage water heaters usually require a lot more space. It’s also important to provide sufficient space around the storage water heater for professionals to do installation work, maintenance work or any repairs on the water heater unit. Thus, taking these factors into consideration, the amount of space required to install a storage water heater is much more significant than a tankless water heater.
If your house has space constraints, consider installing a tankless water heater instead. Tankless water heaters can fit on a single bathroom wall and take up significantly less space in your home, freeing up ceiling or yard space for other appliances or uses.
As its name indicates, a storage water heater can store large amounts of water in its tank. A storage water heater can deliver warm or hot water to multiple points, such as to the kitchen, restrooms and washing rooms. A great thing about a storage water heater is its ability to store the warm or hot water in its tank until is it ready to be used. Thus, if there are power or electricity outages, individuals are still able to enjoy a supply of warm or hot water.
Since tankless water heaters do not have any storage capabilities, in instances of power or electricity shortages, they would not be able to deliver any hot water for that period. However, if you live in an area that does not experience frequent power disruptions, tankless water heaters are something to consider as they are able to provide hot water on demand.
A tankless water heater costs more than a tank storage water heater. Tankless water heaters need power plugs for their fan and hardware, redesigned gas pipes, and another ventilation framework. With all these small costs adding up, the overall upfront investment amount for a tankless water heater becomes much higher. Thus, when deciding between a storage water heater or a tankless water heater, it would be recommended to consider whether making a larger upfront payment is within the budget.
A storage water heater generally has a lower upfront cost as compared to a tankless water heater. However, its daily operations cost and shorter lifespan may not provide as much value for money as a tankless water heater.
So, should you get a storage water heater or a tankless water heater? Choosing a water heater is dependent on many factors. Although the four points above would help you narrow down your choice to something that would suit your household better, it is still important to do more research and comparisons on the different types of water heaters available in the market.
On top of the four points mentioned above, some other things to consider are the hot water demand of the household, how many water points there are in the house and what the flow rate is like in the house.
As with any electrical appliance, it’s important to find one that is of high quality and is reliable and durable.
If you’re looking to purchase a water heater, browse our range of water heating solutions. Rheem has been in the water heating industry for almost 100 years. Through the years, we have constantly manufactured innovative water heating solutions for our consumers. Reliability, functionality and durability are at the core of everything Rheem produces. With Rheem’s water heaters, you are guaranteed to find a water heating solution to meet your every need.
Learn more about our products below:
Instant Water Heaters: https://www.rheemmalaysia.com/products/electric-instant-water-heaters/
Storage Water Heaters: https://www.rheemmalaysia.com/products/electric-storage-tank/
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