The Art of Choosing a Proper Water Heater



There are several things you need to take into consideration when choosing a water heater that would meet your requirements. In order to start the selection process, you first need to define your needs, i.e. to know how much water you need heated. After that, you may start your analysis of various types of fuel, energy efficiency and cost of installation and maintenance. Here are some tips and information about the available water heaters that are supposed to help you make the right choice.



Types of heaters

First of all, you need to be aware that there are various types of heaters out there. You have traditional storage water heaters, which feature a tank of hot water and then there are those that have no tank, but heat the water directly. Also, you can use solar or any other indirect water heaters, which use ambient heat or home’s heating system to heat water. Your decision is likely to depend on whether you already have such a system installed and/or the fact that you might not have enough space for a traditional heater.


How to choose?


First of all, you need to consider the fuel type, since it dictates the type of heater you need, the cost of installation, running and maintenance, as well as the size of the heater. This last item is particularly important, since you need to find a heater which can produce enough hot water for your whole family, but not one which would produce way too much.


In terms of energy efficiency, you obviously want the most efficient one. Compare the heaters you are thinking about and choose the one which requires the least energy, but meets all your demands. Finally, you need to set a realistic budget for your purchase, but also bear in mind the operating costs.



Electrical heater

Still widely popular, due to the availability of electricity even in the most remote areas, this type of heaters can feature a conventional tank, but can also be without it (so-called “demand-type”). If you are short of space and can’t afford having a heater running for hours every day, you should probably look for the tankless option. It does consume more energy when running, but you’ll be using it only when you really need hot water, which means you won’t be wasting any of the energy consumed. You definitely need to consult an expert about the capacity of the power supply, since such devices have special requirements.



Natural gas heaters
They function pretty much like electrical ones, but are fuelled by natural gas. Again, you can choose between traditional, such as the Rheem gas hot water heater, and tankless ones. Alternatively, your space heating system may also heat water.



Other sources of energy
Geothermal energy is an increasingly popular method of providing energy, but it can only be used if you already have a geothermal heat pump that you use for heating and cooling your home. Installing it solely for the purpose of heating water is probably not economical. Solar energy can also be used, especially in parts with lots of sunshine, and so can propane.

 


Final thoughts


Your budget and the available fuel type are the most limiting factors when it comes to choosing a water heater. Make sure you are informed about all options in this respect. Buying a cheaper heater may save money initially, but the operating costs of such a device could be higher, which means you’d be overspending in the long-run. Compare not only the purchase price, but the operating costs as well. If you can choose between different energy sources, go for a renewable one. Not only will it help you save money, but you’ll also do our planet a favour.

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