The water heater is an important part of every home because hey, who doesn't love the hot bath? In addition to this, water heaters provide hot water for washing stubborn stains on clothes and dishes. Similarly, choosing the right water heater not only delivers a steady amount of water but also consumes minimal energy, hence the environmental protection and cost-effectiveness.

Truth be told, the water heater is being taken for granted (imagine having to take a cold shower on a chilly morning!). For this purpose, we have established this article that helps choose the right water heater for your house, so you have a reliable supply of warm (aka hot) water. So, let's check out our guide on different types of water heaters!

Factors To Consider

While investing in the water heater, there are several factors to consider; it ensures that water heaters meet your needs. First of all, you must consider the size of the water heater because it's worthless and a waste of money if it's unable to handle your needs. For choosing the right size, sit back and make a list of how many times you use a water heater.

Secondly, the type of water heater must be considered since there are various options available. For instance, the storage water heaters are the most common ones; there are other options but they aren't frequently used. Lastly, the fuel types a water heater uses is an essential consideration, such as geothermal, electricity, solar, and gas.

Energy For Heating The Water

Heating the water demands/uses energy. The energy source primarily depends on the cost and availability of the sources available, along with the needs of the heater. The most common heat sources include the following;

• Electricity – it's the most common source of energy in the US since it's versatile. It can be used with on-demand, storage, and heat pump heaters. Also, it can be deployed for the active solar systems
• LP Gas – it's also known as propane and is readily available. LP gas works great with the tankless and storage water heaters
• Natural Gas – if you have the natural gas connection at home, it goes perfectly with on-demand and storage water heaters
• Solar – for everyone who lives in warm and sunny areas, solar is a natural energy resource for operating the water heater. However, the solar water heaters are specifically designed for their purpose
• Geothermal – this energy resource is great to work with the heat pump water heater since it's the most practical option available. It can be integrated with a pre-available heat pump system

Types Of Water Heaters

Storage Water Heaters

Whenever we imagine hot water heaters, storage water heaters come to mind because these are the most conventional water heaters available. These water heaters are extremely easy to use; it has a burner or heating element that helps maintain the temperature. Storage water heaters are available in gas and electricity fuel. The best part? It's extremely affordable and readily available.

On the contrary, the storage water heaters have to maintain the temperature for ensuring a steady supply of hot water which results in heat loss. Secondly, the energy consumption will be higher, hence the incremental operating costs. However, the latter issue is resolvable with the deployment of thermostats and timers.

Tankless Water Heaters

The tankless water heaters are designed to offer a hot water supply only when needed. Yes, it will reduce the heat consumption, hence energy efficiency (it saves on utility bills as well). The tankless water heaters are designed to use the gas burner or the electric heating element for heating water as it passes through the water.

It's suggested to choose the correct size of tankless water heater, so it can suffice your household needs. With tankless water heaters, the energy efficiency will be improved since it doesn't have to heat water continuously. As far as the installation is concerned, it has a point of service installation which means it can be installed wherever needed. Also, they have a compact design, hence the smaller footprint.

On the contrary, if the energy source isn't reliable, the water temperature might become inconsistent. To illustrate, if the gas level lowers, the water might turn lukewarm rather than hot. Secondly, they have higher purchasing costs and since the installation is difficult, the labor costs will be higher. The bottom line is that they work through electricity or gas.

Heat Pump Water Heaters

The heat pump water heaters are the form or modification of the conventional storage water heaters but there are some exceptions. The heat pump water heaters aren't designed to directly generate heat since it draws on the external heat and directs it inside the unit for heating the water, hence higher energy efficiency.

The heat water pump water heaters can work through geothermal energy and they can tap in the warmth from the ground below the feet for gaining heat. The geothermal heat pump water heaters are suitable for households with a geothermal system since it's regularly used for cooling and heating purposes. With this being said, it's obvious that heat pump water heaters have higher energy efficiency.

On the downside, the initial costs are higher but prove to be cost-effective in the long run. Furthermore, it has specific temperature requirements for effective operation. This is because it doesn't work if the external temperatures are too cold; therefore, these water heaters aren't suitable for areas that get snowfall (cold winds are fine).

Costs

To begin with, installation of the water heater ranges from $811 to $1,566 while the average lies around $1,174 (yes, it includes the labor and unit). In addition, there are additional plumber labor costs ranging from $45 to $150 per hour (installation requires three to four hours).

• Average: $1,175
• Usual range: $806 to $1,558
• Range from low-end to high-end: $350 to $10,000

As far as the repairing costs are concerned, they are as following;

• Average: $579
• Usual range: $218 to $939
• Range from low-end to high-end: $95 to $1,575

The Final Verdict

It's evident that there are various water heater options available in the market. All of them are designed with unique features, shortcomings, and upsides. Truth be told, one perfect water heater might not be it for everyone out there. So, if you need help choosing, installing, or repairing the water heater system, fill out the form below and we will get back to you with a reasonable price quote!