If you need a new water heater for your home, things likely have changed since you last shopped for this appliance. Since many people can get ten years or more out of a water heater’s life, they often need to completely reeducate themselves on available options. Knowing the different water heater types can help in making that decision. Plus, feel free to ask your plumber about their recommendations based on your home’s plumbing needs.
Tank Water Heaters
Conventional water heaters, also known as tank or storage water heaters, appear in many homes due to their ease of installation and affordability. However, these large tanks that can hold from 20 to 80 gallons have some downsides.
The disadvantages of storage tank water heaters are their inefficiency and shorter life spans. These water heaters operate by keeping the full tank of water at a set temperature all the time. Therefore, when you need hot water, it is ready. However, after someone uses the water in the tank, it requires recharge time to heat the freshwater that enters. So, you likely won’t be able to take successive showers with this type of tank. By keeping the water hot all the time, though also means that it needlessly heats the water. This heating wastes energy, making these inefficient.
In areas with hard water, which is most of the country, tank water heaters will often last less than their standard ten years due to mineral buildup.
Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless water heaters can last twice as long as tank models, and they operate much more efficiently. In fact, you can take have everyone in your home take showers one after another with a tankless water heater because these models when linked together can provide up to 317 gallons of hot water per minute.
The only downside to tankless water heaters is their cost. However, because they last longer and operate more efficiently, these water heaters may save you money over their lives compared to tank models.
Other Water Heater Types
Other water heater types exist. However, these are not as commonly installed due to their prohibitively high costs and special usage requirements. These other types include condensing water heaters, solar water heaters, and heat pump water heaters.
Contact Plumbing Concepts for More About the Water Heater Types We Install
Don’t stretch out your search for a new water heater too long. You will waste money the longer you continue to use your old, inefficient model. Contact us at Plumbing Concepts to find out more about the water heater types we install and how to have one in your home quickly.
