For a long time now people have been telling us that the electric tankless water heater has a huge advantage over the tanked variety.

The electric tankless water heater has a lot to recommend it, but is it actually better than the traditional tank?

I recently heard from Melanie. Like many of us, growing up she had a tank water unit. And when she initially purchased her home, she had a regular electric hot water tank.

Prior To A Few Years Ago, She had never experienced an electric tankless water heater.

But after taking some time to compare a tankless water heater with a tank water heater, she decided to try a tankless unit a few years ago.

What she found was when you compare a tankless system with it's traditional counterpart, you will find that each has it's own set of pros and cons.

For her, the electric tankless water heater and electric tanked unit have advantages in both ways. Here is what she found out from personal experience.

Electric Tankless Water Heater - Pros

• They last a lot longer--about twenty years total.

• They never run out of hot water,

• They are more efficient and save energy--about 60 percent in total

• They store cold water, not hot, which means they save on bacterial growth in your water heating system

• They have no stand by heat up, saving power and money.

• They are smaller, which means that you can put them places where you can't put a normal hot water tank

Electric Tankless Water Heater - Cons

• They cost a great deal more than their tanked counterpart

• They are a lot more susceptible to cold weather and freezes

• Sometimes the water doesn't heat extremely well, depending on the area in which you live. (I personally live in Arizona so there has never been a problem with having piping hot water)

Tanked Hot Water Systems - Pros

• Cheaper to Buy and To Replace

• Easier to find parts for

Tanked Hot Water Systems - Cons

• A LOT more costly, costing more than sixty percent more to operate.

• Standby heat wastes energy and money

• The gas or electric runs even when you don't need hot water, costing energy and money

• The units decline as they get older and will cost more to operate

• Normal hot water tanks last only about 8-10 years, half the time of an tankless electric water unit

The Bottom-Line - Here's What Melanie Had To Say About The Electric Tankless Water Heater

"Based on all that I have experienced, and even what I've seen, it's just no contest. When I take time to compare a tankless water heater with a tanked one, the electric tankless water heater is just so much better both environmentally and financially.

An electric tankless water heater may cost you more in the beginning, but installation is no more difficult, and the money that you pay extra is paid off in under four months with what you save for the cost of operations."

For Her, The Experience With Having An Electric Tankless Water Heater Is About Making Choices To Live A Little Greener.

"Living a little more green isn't just about not using paper plates or paper towels and recycling, its also about the small things that you can do that will save big over the long haul.

Tankless electric hot water tanks is one of those things. It may be silent and running in the background, but it's a huge energy saver and money saver.