Choosing New Water Heaters

Picture this scenario: it is smack down in the dead of winter. It is the coldest day of the year. The temperature is reading three degrees below zero. You wake up in the morning for a nice and hot shower before work, turn the faucets on and get nothing but a blast of cold aqua. You turn the hot water faucet as far as it will do and you still get water as cold as the arctic ice. That is when you realize your tank has just died.

So now what? Well you get dressed, bundle up and head for your local home improvement store. While you are there, you are faced with a big selection of water heaters and tanks of every size and brand known to mankind. Then there is the newest trend in boilers and that is the tankless heater.

There are a few options you have for water heaters. An electrical unit is equipped with coils that dangle in the tank. Those coils heat the water. If you have an electric oven, these are basically the same type of coils in the unit. Electric units are more expensive than other heat sources but they are not as efficient as other heat sources either. But they are cheaper to purchase than other heating units and they do not need any type of venting. Electric is perfect for those households that do not use a lot of H2O.

Natural gas utilizes a burner located at the base of the boiler with a venting system that goes in the middle of the unit and out the top. You will need to ventilate this to go outside your house because you do not want carbon dioxide in your home. The units are pricier than those made from electric but they are much more efficient.

Propane is much like natural gas but instead propane is used as the fuel source. If your home does not have the ability to use natural gas, then propane is your best choice. If you use propane, you will have a huge tank on your property.

Oil is a good choice for your heating source. Oils is almost the same as propane and natural gas but oil is delivered by a contractor to a large backyard tank.

Solar is a great option as long as you live in an area that has plenty of sun. It will not help you much if you live in a climate that rarely sees much sun.

You will need to talk to a professional at the home improvement store to see what heating source is best for you as well as what type of tank is better for you. Your home may only be equipped to use certain types of water heaters. You do not want to have the wrong type.

Tank size is also important. If you have a large household, you need a larger tank or you will run out of hot water faster. If you have a small household, you need a small tank.