Tankless Water Heaters Vs Storage Water Heaters
In most homes your second most largest energy user is your water heater. So finding the most efficient systems would be a wise choice when shopping around for a new water heater. Generally the most efficient systems available are going to be the gas fired type. So if you currently have an electric water heater but have natural gas available then you will probably save a lot of money by switching to a gas burning water heater. Electric units are also not as environmentally safe since it is fed by coal burning power plants.
The sizing of the water heater can play an important part in what heater type you should be looking for. You want your water heater to provide enough hot water during the peak times of the day for hot water use. For hot water heaters that use storage tanks the amount of hot water it can provide would be based on the “first hour rating”. You products guide should state what first hour rating is has.
The lifespan of most water heaters is around 10 to 13 years. They all can vary in costs depending on the fuel type. The best rule of thumb on price of unit and installation is that the more efficient it is the more it will cost up front. But in the long run you will end up saving money by going with the more efficient unit.
Storage Water heaters are by far the most common used or found water heaters in the world today. You can find them in sizes from 20 gallons to 80 gallons or larger. These type of water heaters are fueled by electric or gas and keep water in a tank at a maintained temperature. The storage water heaters have insulation built in around the tank that help
keeps the water warm and makes the unit more efficient. Today you can find many new energy efficient models that are almost as good as the tankless models. These type of water heaters also tend to be cheaper for installation and unit cost.
Tankless water heaters( Demand Water Heaters) do not have storage tanks like the ones your used to seeing. Instead tankless water heaters use a burner or electric element that heats water only when it is needed or demanded. With this you will never run out of hot water and can take as many hot showers as you want. With these type of hot water heaters you may see a decrease in water flow and will need to use more efficient faucets and shower heads. Using or switching to a tankless water heater could get you possible tax credits and reduce your utility costs by 15 percent. To qualify for a tax credit you must have a tankless water heater with and energy factor at least .80.
Several brands that you can choose from are:
Bosch Aquastar
Paloma
Noritz
Rheem
Rinnai
Takagi
Bradford White
Infinion
Eccotemp
Navien
Toyotomi
Monitor Products
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