Many homeowners wait until their water heater breaks before looking for a replacement. Because they are in a hurry to regain their hot water supply, they are often unable to take the time to shop for the most energy efficient unit for their specific household needs. This is unfortunate because the cost of purchasing and operating a water heater can vary greatly, depending on the type, brand, and model selected, and on the quality of the work performed by the plumber. When you are in the market for a new water heater, spring hill plumbers recommend you do some research before you are impulse buying just for running hot water.
Storage Water Heaters
storage water heaters remain the most popular type for residential heating needs in the United States of America. A storage heater operates by releasing hot water from the top of the tank when the hot water tap is turned on. To replace that hot water, cold water enters the bottom of the tank, ensuring that the tank is always full. A variety of fuel options are available for conventional storage water heaters electricity, natural gas, oil, and propane. With a storage water heater, Spring Hill plumbers know all too well that these are known for wasting energy. To determine the most energy efficient model, consult the Energyguide label required on storage water heaters.
Demand Water Heaters
It is possible to completely eliminate standby heat losses from the tank and reduce energy consumption up to around 20 or 30 percent with demand (also known as instantaneous) water heaters, which do not have storage tanks. Cold water travels through a pipe into the unit, and either a gas burner or an electric element heats the water only when needed. With these systems, you never run out of hot water. But there is one potential drawback with demand water heaters, they have limited flow rate. With a demand water heater, Spring Hill plumbers suggest that in order To meet hot water demand when multiple faucets are being used, demand heaters can be installed in parallel sequence.
*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of 1st Choice Plumbing Inc*