The water heater in your house provides wonderfully warm showers in the morning, hot water to scrub your dishes with, and so many other facets of modern life that sometimes we may take for granted. When searching for an appropriate water tank, however, you have different options. Should you buy a tankless water heater? What fuel source is a better option? And how do you know what size is right for you?
Purchasing a water heater is a choice that does affect your daily life, so it’s good to have a well-rounded base of information before you start your search. Here is some general information about some familiar water heaters:
Tankless Water Heaters
These efficient machines give out hot water on demand. Since they don’t need a storage tank, and the water is not heated and stored, but is heated only when it is required. This means no more waiting for the tank to fill before you can take a shower.
However, this mechanism does decrease the flow rate to about 3.5 gallons per minute. Running hot water from multiple places at the same time might mean somebody’s shower isn’t going to be quite so warm, if you are washing a load of dishes as well as running laundry.
However, if your family does not have a high hot water usage, or you don’t tend to run multiple hot water appliances simultaneously, a tankless water heater is significantly more efficient.
Natural Gas Water Heaters
Natural gas is a very common option. It can be used in conjunction with multiple designs of water heaters, whether those which use a storag
e tank or tankless.
It has been noted that natural gas heaters are in general less energy efficient than their electric counterparts, although the cost to run them is typically much less as a result of the comparably higher price of electricity. However, this type of unit will be more expensive upon purchase.
Electric Water Heaters
Electric water heaters use domestic power to heat resistance coils in the unit and thus heat your water. If your family is large, this option will have a harder time keeping up with your usage of water with higher temperatures. Also, the recovery rate is slower than a natural gas heater.
However, benefits to the electric heater include a lower installation cost, ability to be integrated into tight spaces, and the possibility of installing a money-saving timer.
Choosing the Best Size
Size is also an issue when choosing a water heater. A factor that may sway your decision is how many gallons of hot water you use daily. Also, consider the space where you want to install it. A smaller unit may hold up to 40 gallons and fit into a cabinet or crawl space, while a larger tank may hold 100 gallons but will only be able to be placed in a basement or garage.
Really, the decision of which type of heater to choose is yours to make. Use this information to guide you in the information making process and choose a water heater that is best for you.