Time to upgrade your water heater? Here are five factors to consider

April 5, 2019

If you’re in the market for a new water heater, one thing you might notice is that you have a lot of options available to you. Making a smart choice is important, since heating water accounts for nearly 20 percent of your energy bill.

Here are five factors you’ll need to consider when choosing a new water heater:

Generally speaking, there are three categories of water heaters:

Conventional (or Storage) water heaters, which store hot water in a tank until it’s needed for use;
Tankless water heaters, where water is heated instantly on demand; and
Indirect water heaters, which use your home heating system to warm water.

Some basic facts and figures:

Conventional water heaters cost less up front, but are less efficient than tankless heaters, so your monthly bills tend to be higher.
Tankless heaters are extremely efficient, offer unlimited hot water on-demand, and are much smaller, which means you have more options for placement. They do cost more than conventional water heaters (in many cases double or more), but they will also last longer (about 18 years on average, compared to 10-12 for conventional water heaters).
Indirect water heaters can also be extremely efficient – especially during heating season – but they require integration with your home heating system, so installation is more costly than conventional and tankless water heaters.

To discuss what type of water heating system is best for you, contact us.

Fuel type – The fuel you use to heat your water will affect how much it costs – sometimes dramatically. Frank Lamparelli sells and installs gas, propane, electric and oil-fired water heaters; contact us to learn more about what we offer.
Size – You need enough heating capacity to meet your family’s need for hot water, but not so much that you’re heating water you won’t use – meaning both the size of your home, and your family, play a role here! Right-sizing a water heater can get tricky without help from a professional.
Energy efficiency – Right-sizing, the efficiency rating of the water heater itself, proper installation and maintenance, and other factors all have an effect on efficiency.
Total Cost of Ownership – Make sure you compare all factors that influence the true cost of a water heater – including cost of fuel, life expectancy of the unit, and more.

Whatever option you choose, it’s a good idea to service your equipment regularly to keep it running at peek efficiency.