Which Is Best?
Glass-lined water heaters are, by far, the almost common type of H2O heater amongst a storage tank. Stainless steel models accept many fantabulous characteristics that brand them, inward theory, a ameliorate pick. However, inward choosing a stainless steel unit, you do too reach up some advantages that the drinking glass-lined versions provide.
We will look at everything these heaters accept inward mutual as well as how they differ from each other. You will run into their advantages as well as disadvantages together with volition be able to take between them more easily. Let’s expect at how do these heaters compare!
Glass-lined heaters are more than affordable as well as widely available. These are oft deciding factors, making drinking glass-lined heaters a good pick in normal situations. Stainless steel units are amend for extreme situations; they are lighter, easier to maintain, more than durable, too corrosion-resistant (no anode rod).
Stainless Steel Water Heaters Are Lighter
Stainless steel H2O heaters are lighter than drinking glass-lined ones because the cloth itself is thinner, and they don’t accept any additional lining.
You volition appreciate their lightweight material, peculiarly if yous are planning to move together with take the heater alongside you lot or if you lot accept a long carry ahead of y'all (lighter load means less fuel used).
Their weight is too advantageous if you lot are going to install the heater past yourself, as a heavy heater would demand multiple people to be lifted and installed.
The exact weight of the heater will, of form, likewise depend on the size of the tank. For comparison, an empty 40-gallon stainless steel heater’sec average empty weight is entirely ninety lbs, while a forty-gallon glass-lined heater weighs around 110-140 lbs. That’s a pregnant divergence!
The weight deviation is non a linear or uniform ratio. In the above instance, the divergence was nearly 100 lbs. But allow’sec await at some other sized tank. An 80-gallon stainless steel tank tin weigh as picayune as 151 lbs, spell the same size glass-lined heaters typically weigh anywhere from 300 upward to 600 lbs (both empty weights). This is a deviation of 150-400 lbs!
Glass-Lined Water Heaters Need Anode Rods
Anode rods are non essential to the daily operation of water heaters. However, they are vital to the continued performance of certain H2O heaters.
Glass-lined water heaters are prone to corrosion, even though they are lined inwards unreactive glass, together with inwards lodge to protect them, you lot demand to install an anode rod. A sacrificial anode rod depletes over fourth dimension, and thence it needs to live replaced regularly. This impacts the toll of maintenance of the drinking glass-lined water heaters.
Stainless steel H2O heaters are much less demanding as well as less costly to keep compared to their drinking glass-lined counterparts. The argue behind it is that they are naturally corrosion-resistant, together with hence, they don’t require an anode rod.
How Do Anode Rods Work?
We tin divide the anode rods into ii categories: sacrificial anode rods in addition to powered anode rods. Both types are meant to protect the H2O tank from corroding, merely each goes around serving this use inward a dissimilar mode.
The sacrificial anode is made of metals similar magnesium, aluminum, or zinc. It plant on the principle that these metals are more than responsive to the corrosive elements in the H2O than the H2O tank itself is.
As a result, the anode rod starts deteriorating outset. As long as in that location is an anode rod inward the heater, the corrosive elements will focus on it. Thus the corrosion will pass on the rod instead of the water tank.
The powered anode is typically made of highly durable metal like titanium, as well as it more often than not is permanent. It does not deplete itself in order to protect the water tank. Instead, it is plugged together with uses power to mail out electric pulses that cease corrosive processes in addition to neutralize olfactory property-causing bacteria.
Why Glass-Lined Heaters Need Anode Rods
Glass lining is non perfect protection against corrosion. Even when it is combined alongside a pressure level relief valve, it all the same needs 1 extra line of work of protection, which is the anode rod.
But why is the glass lining not sufficient enough to preserve the water heater on its ain?
Sooner or later on, the drinking glass lining begins to split and crack, allowing the water to go far directly contact amongst the metallic material of the tank. At that instant, alone the anode rod can keep the corrosive elements in the H2O from causing the heater tank to rust.
Stainless Steel Water Heaters Don’t Need Anode Rods
Stainless steel H2O heaters are naturally corrosion-resistant because they have a thin celluloid protecting them. Imagine the cinema equally a thin barrier that inhibits water too oxygen from accessing the surface beneath it, hence preventing the surface from rusting.
Stainless steel consists of diverse reactive elements (amongst chromium being one of the more important ones) that together make this thin armor against rust.
The textile’second natural resistance makes stainless steel water heaters more durable, stronger, too easier to hold since you don’t require to proceed an centre on or supervene upon whatsoever anode rods.
Thanks to these features, they tend to come with a longer warranty than glass-lined heaters, together with typically at no pregnant extra toll. The lack of rods also helps yous salve some money inward the long function.
Durability of Stainless Steel together with Glass-Lined Heaters
Glass-lined water heaters are non as durable equally stainless steel ones. Their durability rests on the anode rod to a big extent.
Without an anode rod, the H2O heater typically lasts exclusively about five years, but it may be as few every bit iii years or as many every bit 8, depending on many unlike factors.
As we mentioned earlier, sacrificial anodes necessitate to live replaced every few years. But it is ultimately improve to take a worn-out anode rod together with not supercede it than to take no rod at all.
The heater amongst an former anode rod tin final, at best, from eight to ten years. If you regularly alter the sacrificial anode, your glass-lined heater could last anywhere betwixt ten-15 years.
Stainless steel water heaters ordinarily come amongst a warranty of 12 years, merely y'all tin can look them to final fifty-fifty much longer than 15 years. But it is not entirely their long lifespan that makes stainless steel heaters more than desirable. They are more than durable overall.
Glass-lined heaters are more susceptible to impairment during shipping, installation, as well as after during performance, as the drinking glass-lining cracks easily. While glass-lined heaters tin exclusively handgrip temperatures upwards to 120 °F-140 °F, the stainless steel heaters have no job withstanding 180 °F alongside ease.
This constituent may not live likewise relevant since y'all are non probable to shower in water at the highest temperature, but it goes to show that stainless steel can handle more stress inward general.
It is proficient to retrieve that not all heaters are created equal, even if they pass to be from the same material.
There are dissimilar grades when it comes to stainless steel, and each i will perform differently. Same every bit each drinking glass-lined heater volition be dissimilar depending on the lineament of the material that were used in its manufacturing.
Durability Dependent on Water Quality
From the plethora of factors that influence the durability of H2O heaters, the H2O quality itself is perchance the well-nigh determining element. The heaters volition take a shorter lifespan inward areas where the H2O is difficult. Why?
Hard water contains many mineral components that build upwards in the heater together with negatively touch on the heater’sec efficiency.
Even if yous have soft H2O, yous won’t be able to completely avoid mineral build-upwards because in that location is all the same some mineral content acquaint inwards the water. However, the build-upwardly volition be significantly smaller, together with it won’t bear upon the durability of the H2O heater as negatively equally hard H2O would.
Here, it is of import to sympathize that having soft H2O is not the same as having softened water. Added softeners (sodium) drive the anode rods to deplete more than chop-chop, then yous need to be careful non to oversoften your water.
All this applies to both glass-lining too stainless steel H2O heaters, although it affects the glass-lined heaters more than. You come across, the sediment speeds upward the corrosion procedure, which will primarily bear on drinking glass-lined heaters.
But it can too brand both types of heaters run less effectively or clog the pressure relief valve, which is crucial inward preventing the heater tank from bursting.
There is exclusively one mode to forestall the mineral make-up from causing whatever damage—proper maintenance, which brings me to my side by side betoken.
Maintenance of Water Heaters
The tending required for stainless steel heaters differs widely from the attention necessary for drinking glass-lined heater tanks. But they take a few steps inward mutual, so let’second encompass those starting time.
Flushing the tank is an of import role of maintaining a water heater tank, regardless of what textile it is made of. Some more than expensive heaters have a make-inwards self-flushing feature, simply yous will accept to handle the flushing yourself on cheaper models.
The side by side important stride is to ensure that the pressure level relief valve is working good, as it is an important rubber characteristic. It is likewise skillful to set up the temperature to no more than 120 °F. To larn how to make this, scout the video below.
This is pretty much all when it comes to maintaining a stainless steel heater. Now let’s move on to the glass-lined ones.
Extra Maintenance for Glass-Lined Heaters
The vital function of caring for these heaters is the replacement of their sacrificial anode rods. This footstep is essential because null would be protecting the tank from corrosion if it weren’t for the anode rods.
The replacement needs to be done every two-5 years, depending primarily on your H2O character too the sum of water that runs through the heater tank on a daily basis.
Generally, it is expert to cheque the anode rod at least one time a twelvemonth to run into how much of it has deteriorated. If yous discover that more than one-half of the rod is dissolved, it means it’second fourth dimension for a novel 1.
At that instant, you lot accept ii options. You can either attempt to DIY or hire a plumber to supercede the rod for you lot. You may ask why you lot would desire to spend extra money for something you tin can easily do yourself?
Removing anode rod together with installing a novel one is non ever equally slowly every bit it sounds. This process tin can be quite tricky too time-consuming if the anode is seized, which unfortunately is not a rare case.
You necessitate to remain really careful and then that y'all won’t impairment the unit of measurement’second pressure level relief valve or its other parts.
If you are a skilled DIY type of individual as well as y'all feel upwardly to the challenge, y'all can bank check out Tips to Remove a Seized Anode Rod too watch this video.
Market Availability
Stainless steel H2O heaters are not every bit mutual every bit glass-lined heaters. Therefore, they can be difficult to come up about, and the variety of the available units is more express.
It could easily come about that you lot won’t be able to discover the exact type together with size that you lot are looking to buy. Ultimately, it will cost you more than fourth dimension in addition to money to discover the precise heater that y'all are later.
Glass-lined heaters, on the other paw, are well established on the market place. The manufacturers offering a multifariousness of types, models, sizes, together with features y'all tin can select from.
Since these heaters are and then readily available, they likewise come up at unlike price points, providing an selection for different kinds of customers to detect a heater that would perfectly agree their needs also every bit budget.
Stainless Steel or Glass-Lined: Comparing the Cost
Price tin can often live the determining component when we are looking to purchase a new H2O heater. Since they are already a pretty meaning expense, virtually people will endeavor to constituent this inward and look for cheaper models.
Stainless steel heaters are supposed to be an investment that lasts for many years to come, as well as their toll reflects that. They are significantly more expensive than glass-lined heaters.
That is not to enjoin that in that location every drinking glass-lined water heater is cheap. On the contrary, many premium glass-lined models cost around $two,000-3,000.
However, you lot tin find an lxxx-gallon glass-lined heater for $one,000-1,500 in addition to a xl-gallon i for $600-800, piece an eighty-gallon stainless steel heater unremarkably starts at $2,000 and a twoscore-gallon 1 starts around $i,400.
Bottom line of work, stainless steel heaters tend to live more than expensive because they are made of a pricier cloth. Still, the final cost will ultimately depend on the heater’second other features like its capacity, origin of power, type of venting organization, or whether it has a self-flushing system.
Cost May Be Countered by Durability
A pivotal interrogation is, are y'all willing to pay more than for a H2O heater if it way that it volition be more than durable together with its lifespan in addition to warranty volition be significantly longer? The reply volition likely depend on what precisely you lot wait from together with intend to do with the heater.
Durability over toll type of thinking may pay off if you are building a new home together with y'all are planning to alive in that location for a long fourth dimension or if you lot are planning to have the water heater alongside you in one case you lot make up one's mind to act. The lightness and resilience of the stainless steel tank would live a valuable feature inward the moving scenario.
Another situation when durability tin can counter the price is if you are buying the heater for a home amongst hard access (such every bit a cottage inwards the mountains) or a place y'all are renting out. In that instance, you are in all probability trying to avoid needing heater replacement, or you just couldn’t live bothered alongside the regular maintenance.
On the other mitt, if yous act oft or yous are a frequent traveler who lives alone, yous will belike be satisfied alongside a lineament glass-lined heater.
Factor inward the Cost of Anode Rods
Let’s not forget that even though a drinking glass-lined heater on its own is more often than not cheaper to buy, it is more than financially expensive to hold.
A practiced sacrificial anode rod costs well-nigh $twoscore-fifty, together with it needs to be replaced every five years, which is the average fourth dimension the rods tend to concluding. You would call for at to the lowest degree three of them for a heater amongst a lifespan of xv years. That makes $150 spent on anode rods lone.
Not everyone has enough DIY feel to supersede the rod themselves. So another potential expense to view is the toll of having it replaced past a professional person. A typical cost that a plumber may charge you lot is around $200.
Counting all that upward makes it seem like the stainless steel heaters are non that much more expensive subsequently all. In about cases, they mightiness fifty-fifty run out to live cheaper in the long go.
Summary of the Pros together with Cons
Glass-Lined Water Heaters
Pros
- Resistant to rusting when they accept an anode rod.
- Widely available inward different models in addition to sizes.
- They are more than affordable than the stainless steel ones.
Cons
- The rods postulate to go replaced every few years.
- They aren’t every bit durable as stainless steel heaters.
- Glass-lining is delicate and heavy.
Stainless Steel Water Heaters
Pros
- They have a long lifespan.
- Easier too cheaper to hold.
- They are naturally rust-resistant (no anode rods required).
- Stainless steel is rattling lightweight merely withal resilient.
Cons
- More expensive.
- They are non very common on the marketplace, so it can live hard to observe the exact type of heater that y'all desire.
Final Verdict
Every mortal has unlike needs as well as preferences regarding their water heater. While stainless steel heaters tin can be the winner on paper, more or less people power benefit more than from glass-lined heaters.
They are perfectly functional, manageable, in addition to durable for the average somebody. More importantly, they are the readily available as well as more than affordable pick for the most function.
Stainless steel heaters are perfect for extreme situations. When a long as well as challenging carry is required, the H2O is real difficult, acidic, or when yous are looking for the near extended warranty and lifespan, stainless steel is the material that will better conform your needs.
Sources
https://www.nachi.org/lifespan-water-heater.htm
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-doesnt-stainless-stee/
https://www.hpacmag.com/features/stainless-steel-water-heaters/
https://www.cartersmyplumber.com/H2O-heater-repair-price/
https://www.usawaterquality.org/how-much-does-a-water-heater-weigh/#Water_Heater_Type
https://www.thespruce.com/keep-a-water-heater-1824893
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