How to Choose the Right Water Heater

Nobody wants their water heater to break but eventually it will happen to every homeowner.  When it comes time to buy a new water heater the decision can feel a bit overwhelming.  There are so many models from which to choose.  There is a huge range of price points and a myriad of features, leaving you wondering which water heater is best for your home.  After all, the last thing that you want is to have a water heater that either inefficiently heats water or cannot heat an adequate amount of water for your home’s needs.  If your water heater breaks, don’t panic and make a hasty decision, follow this guide to choose the best water heater for your home.

First, you will need to decide if you want to install a tank or tankless water heater.  A tankless water heater is eco-friendly but also more expensive.  Additionally, a tankless water heater does not take up as much floor space because it hangs on a wall.  Because it reduces energy consumption you will save money on your monthly utilities.  A tankless water heater rapidly heats water as it is needed so during heavy water usage it can run out of hot water.  With a traditional tank water heater it is less expensive but takes up quite a bit more space and will use more energy to heat water each month.  A traditional tank water heater heats water and stores it in its tank so that hot water is ready on demand so if you have a larger home you simply need a water heater with a larger tank capacity to ensure that you will have adequate hot water when needed.  Therefore, you are less likely to run out of hot water.

As previously mentioned, if you opt for a traditional tank water heater, you will need to carefully consider tank capacity when choosing your new water heater.  If your home has a lot of occupants you will naturally use more hot water each day which means you will need a higher tank capacity.  An experienced plumber and water heater installer can help guide you to the appropriate tank capacity based on how much water you tend to use and the number of occupants in your home.  If you choose a tankless water heater you will need to carefully examine the different models and choose a model with the appropriate “GPM” which stands for “gallons per minute.”  The higher the GPM, the less likely you will be to run out of hot water.  Finally, you will want to consider the fuel type that your water heater will use and choose which is best for you, your budget, and your home’s capabilities.  By carefully considering these things, you will be able to choose a new water heater and get it installed quickly so that you can get back to enjoying hot water whenever you want.