Real Estate

Buying a new water heater

If your water heater is getting old, it’s a good idea to buy a replacement before you run out of hot water, or even worse … wake up with water up to your ankles!

Make a note of the energy sources available to you and the amount of hot water you expect to use. Not all forms of energy work with all types of space heaters, and some work slower than others. The tanks run on solar power, electricity, oil and gas (natural or propane), but the tankless units run only on electricity and gas sources. Heat pumps use only electricity.

Estimate how much hot water your home uses during peak hours and find a heater with a First Hour Rating (FHR) that meets your demand. A licensed plumber is the best person to do this calculation and help you choose the correct size.

Hot water can add up to 25% of your energy bill, so be sure to choose an energy efficient heating appliance.

Storage tank

This is most common in residential applications, heating, and hot water storage until needed. When you open a faucet, the hot water released is replaced by incoming cold water, which is heated and stored again at a temperature controlled by one or more thermostats in the tank.

Storage tanks are simple, maintenance-free, and relatively inexpensive to install, but due to constant overheating, they use power 24/7, even if you don’t have hot water. Electrically heated tanks can be covered with an insulating blanket to help save energy, but gas or oil tanks cannot.

No tank

Tankless water heaters, also known as “on demand” heaters, heat water without a storage tank and use energy only when needed, rather than maintaining a hot water tank. Sometimes individual units are used in multiple locations in the home, but most newer homes have a high-performance tankless heater to supply hot water throughout the home.

Due to the storage volume of hot water tanks and the high-performance nature of tankless heaters, both are commonly used to heat a home with radiant floor systems or via a radiator coil in an air heating system. forced.

Heat pump (hybrid)

Heat pump water heaters do not heat directly. They use electricity to pump heat from the air or ground into your water tank, using less energy than traditional water heaters.

You can install a stand-alone heat pump water heater or combine your water heater with your heating and cooling system, using an air or ground source heat pump. Although installation costs are higher, heat pump water heaters cost less to run long term.

Solar

Solar collectors can be used to harness the sun’s energy and heat water for almost free! Solar water heaters use a primary tank to store preheated water before it is transferred to a conventional hot water tank, which runs on electricity, gas, or oil.

Solar collectors can be installed on roofs or on supports at ground level. Buy a better quality and energy efficient model that will last longer and save money.

Features to consider

  • Warranty: typically three to twelve years. Purchase prices are closely tied to warranties, and longer warrantied water heaters tend to be better built and better insulated. In addition to choosing a water heater with a good warranty, check out consumer report websites and individual owner reviews.

  • Antifouling Devices – Although fouling can shorten the life of a water heater, you don’t need to invest in additional features to get a reliable water heater. Just buy a good quality tank with a good warranty.

  • Brass vs. Plastic Drain Valves – Near the base of the water heater, these valves are used to periodically drain sediment from the bottom of a tank. Brass drain valves are more durable than plastic ones.

  • Glass lined tanks – are designed to minimize corrosion.

  • Digital displays – easily monitor and control the operation of your tank; set the water temperature, set a vacation mode and other functions.

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