Are you struggling to choose the right water heater? You need water heaters for that hot shower in the morning, washing your dishes and cleaning your clothes. It’s crucial that you have a well-functioning water heater you can count on for these every day uses.
Upgrading to an energy-efficient water heater is a great place to start rather than relying on that old, aging water heater you probably have now. You’ll have to choose which water storage capacity is best, which fuel type you want to use and which function (whole house or point of use) is most important. Here is a look at some different types of water heaters and why tankless water heaters are the way to go.
Water Heater Types
If you have a water heater that is undersized, it’s going to work much harder and it will end up having a shorter life. You need to consider the size of your home when choosing a water heater. Choosing between a conventional tank and a tankless water heater is the first place to start. Both types of water heaters will use gas or electric to heat your home.
Conventional tanks look at what the household size is to determine how many gallons your water heater should have the capacity for. Tankless water heaters look at flow rate, or how much hot water you’ll need at one time, to determine the right size. You need to look at the flow rate for each faucet, shower and washing machine in the home.
From there, you’ll need to know what temperature rise it needs to provide and what system you’ll be using between whole house or point of use. Both conventional tanks and tankless water heaters can heat the whole house while you can also get both as “point of use” systems. Point of use systems are those that work individually for a specific sink or location.
Lastly, you’ll have to decide which fuel type you prefer. Most water heaters are fueled by electricity or gas. Gas will require a larger up-front investment, must be vented outdoors for safety and will cost less to operate. Electric will cost less upfront, will be easier to maintain, will heat quickly and will require no venting.
Which System Is Best For Me?
While conventional water heaters can be more economical at first, have a large capacity and can be positioned in closets, garages or basements, tankless water heaters are becoming the better option. Tankless will require more money up-front but water heaters specialist in Tampa says you’ll reduce your energy consumption up to 30%. They are excellent for residences occupied only part-time and they can hang on the wall to free up floor space. They do require ventilation because they heat cold water with a gas burner or electric elements as it passes through the water heater.
With water heaters being the third largest energy consumer in your home, it’s highly beneficial to cut down this energy use with a tankless water heater. These are best used if you install separate water heaters in different areas; for example, install one for the shower and one for the laundry so that you don’t use up all the hot water by running both at once.
Tankless water heaters are going to last longer and have lower operating costs. While the initial cost is higher, over time you will notice a huge savings from investing more at first. Along with have a longer lifespan, tankless water heaters sometimes avoid standby heat losses that you’ll find with storage water heaters. Be sure to properly install tankless water heaters to maximize their energy efficiency.
While conventional water heaters may cost less up front and may heat the whole house with ease, you’re better off to go with a tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters save you significant money, have a longer lifespan and will consume less energy in your home.
