There are so many options available for heating your water; Tankless, tank type, hybrid, and solar. The question becomes which one do you choose? Some technicians spend over 400 hours training so they can be educated enough to help you choose the right one to invest in. A water heaters average life span is 7-10 years. Your water heater can account for more than 25% of your energy bill. So ask yourself before investing in a water heater should you take advice from the hourly guy at the big box store, advice from a neighbor, or have a professional plumber advise you on your best option?
There are basically 4 types of water heating devices:
Tank type water heaters
This technology has been around over a hundred years and hasn’t changed much in that time. It is the least expensive up front cost. Think about all the energy it takes to keep that tank of water at 130 degrees all day every day. To make a tank type water heater more efficient, install either an electric water heater timer or a gas water heater timer.
Tankless water heaters
This technology have been around a while and is a another way to heat water. Gas tankless water heaters qualify for ENERGY STAR. They cost a lot more up front and a lot more over the life of the heater for maintenance compared to a tank type water heater. Tankless technology heats water only when a hot water faucet is opened. So when you are not using hot water, your water heater is not using energy. This technology can save you money on your energy bill, however the overall return on investment is usually a negative. Flow is restricted by a tankless water heater, so to be able to use more than one faucet; you will have to pay more up front to increase the size of the unit to meet your demand.
Electric tankless
Has the same thought process of gas tankless but is less energy efficient and does not qualify for Energy Star. There are few practical applications for this but we do not recommend this for most applications.
Hybrid water heaters
This technology is fairly new but can be another way to heat water. It is a tank type water heater with a heat pump on top. It uses the ambient air to heat the water and the byproduct blows 68-75 degree air out! This may save you on your water heating bill and you’re a/c bill! Hybrid Water Heaters are Energy Star qualified.
Solar water heating
For the cutting edge of technology an energy efficient Solar Heater is a top choice although, ridiculously expensive and your return on investment is likely to be longer than you live in the house.The solar collectors are installed outside the home, typically on the roof or nearby. Nearly all models are the direct-gain type, consisting of flat panels in which water circulates. Other types may use dish or trough mirrors to concentrate sunlight on a collector tube filled with water, brine or other heat transfer fluid. A storage tank is placed indoors or out to collect the heated water. Circulation is caused by natural convection or by a small electric pump. At night, or when there is insufficient sunlight present, circulation through the panel can be stopped by closing a valve and or stopping the circulating pump, to keep hot water in the storage tank from cooling.
In summary:
A tank type water heater is usually the most cost effective way to heat your water.
4 Comments