re: Tankless vs. Tank Water Heaters

The advantages of tankless is limitless amounts of hot water, no pilot light so it lowers the gas bill.

Also the tanks being made today you can expect anywhere from 4-10 years. They aren't making them as like the days of old and that includes the big name brands. Rheem, Ruud, State
The tankless have a life expectancy of 20 years.


Just to clarify a few misconceptions in this thread:

Noritz makes a new consumer grade tank replacement model where the water is connected on the top of the heater like a tank and the vent pipe can be adapted to any type of exsisting vent pipe that might have been used on the old heater. Cost $1000 and it includes the install kit.

This model is $500 cheaper than what was available the last few years and makes switching from tank to tankless simple and efficient. Upgrading from tank to tankless install time drops a LOT because of the redesign.

Also:
The time it takes for hot water is almost exactly the same unless the heater is moved to a further location for install. If you put your hand on the hot outlet of the tankless it's hot in less than a second and you can't hold the pipe in about 2 seconds. These heaters are almost instantly hot because they use heat exchangers, they are basically wall mounted boilers. Several flame chambers firing under a loop of brass and copper that holds the water for heating.

Repairing them can be a bit more complicated, as in you wont be repairing it yourself, you'll need a certified technician trained in error codes to repair the heater for the day it has issues. But they aren't problematic like the Rheems were when they first released several years ago.

IMO go Noritz, they are the best in the business.

have two tanks..one is 21 years old, 50 gallon, electric...second is 10 years old, 50 gallon electric. family of 6..NEVER ran out of hot water...not problems with either tank