Water Heater: How to Put Your Name on It

Before making a decision about the water heater for your home, you first need to define your needs. This means determining exactly how much water you use on a daily basis and how much of it needs to be heated. Then, you should start researching various types of available fuels, costs of installation and maintenance and how energy efficient the device is. In order to help you with making this major decision, here are some tips and valuable information.

Available Types

Honestly there are plenty of types of heaters. There are the traditional water heaters with a tank of hot water. Also, there are the ones with no tank, but with direct water heating. Additionally, there are the types of water heaters that use ambient heat or the heating system of your home to heat the water, or you can use solar and any other indirect water heaters. However, your choice of water heaters will depend on the system you already have installed or the space you have available for the tank.

How to Choose the Best?

The first step towards making a good decision is considering the fuel type. The type of fuel of the heater will further determine the type of heater, its cost of installation, maintenance and running. Also, the fuel will determine the size of the heater. Additionally, the size and type will be determined according to the amount of hot water it can produce for your whole family, but it shouldn’t produce way too much of it. What’s more, you want to choose an energy efficient water heater. Make a list of heaters you’re taking into consideration. Then, compare them and finally choose the one that requires the least energy, but make sure it meets all of your demands. However, don’t forget about your set budget, because you have to bear in mind the operating costs.

Gas Heaters

Natural gas heaters are widely available and you can use them according to your available space. If you have enough available space and your hot water demands are high, you can easily opt for Rheem gas hot water heater unit. However, if you are running short on space there are tankless ones as well. Another alternative is using the space heating system you already have installed to heat the water.

Electrical Heaters

Just like gas water heaters, electrical ones are popular and available even in remote areas. Traditionally, these heaters feature a tank, but there are types without it, too. However, if you don’t have enough space for the tank, but you don’t need it to run for hours every day, you should opt for a tankless option. Even though they can consume plenty of energy when running, you will use them only when needed, which automatically means you won’t be wasting energy. In the end, you should consult with a professional about the capacity and power supply, since these appliances have some special requirements.

Other Sources

Besides electricity and natural gas, there is geothermal energy as another source. This method of providing energy is increasing in its popularity, but you can use it only if you already have a geothermal heat pump installed to control the temperature in your home. If you consider installing it only for water heating purposes, you probably shouldn’t do so, since it’s not economical. Another option is the solar energy and this source is perfect for the areas with a lot of sunshine.

The type of fuel and your budget are the biggest factors that will affect your choice of the water heater. You ought to do your research first, thoroughly, and then make a decision. Buying a cheaper heater my save you money, but it might not be as energy efficient as the more expensive ones; but then again you shouldn’t buy the most expensive ones because you have to think about the maintenance, installation and operating costs.

Guest Contributor, Lillian Connors