Do you want to squeeze as many savings as possible out of the 18 percent of the energy your household consumes for heating water? When purchasing a water heater, evaluate whether a gas or electric water heater will better serve your home’s needs. Here’s a breakdown of how each type of water heater measures up.
Gas-Powered Heaters
Gas water heaters offer a few select benefits over an electric system. Namely, the source of power is cheaper (since it’s natural gas) than electricity in most areas, they will continue to function even in a power outage and they recover faster when household usage depletes the hot water. They also cost less to purchase and operate.
Electric-Powered Water Heaters
However, if you’re considering an electric water heater, you’re not going to miss out on benefits either. They include:
- Safety. Gas water heaters are subject to significant hazards due to the use of natural gas. The chance of an explosion is higher than faulty wiring in an electric system causing electrocution.
- Timing. You can install a timer on an electric system to ensure savings if your home runs on peak and off-peak billing. Just set the timer to shut the water heater off during peak hours, and save money while having access to a heated tank of water.
- Installation. When installing an electric system, you can simply run electricity to power the electric water heater. To install a gas-powered system, you’ll need to run the natural gas lines to supply power to the unit, but it will also need an exhaust vent installed to ensure safe venting of hazardous gasses.
- Space. Because gas systems need proper ventilation, the system itself takes up more square footage. Electric systems don’t need ventilation, so you can install them in nearly any location, like a closet or crawl space.
- Lifespan. Electric water heaters don’t employ as many parts to function and these parts aren’t exposed to as much direct heat, so they tend to have a longer lifespan.
No matter what type of water heater you purchase, it’s important to consider these factors:
- Choose a tank with brass valves, which allow for easy drainage during routine service checkups. The valve also lasts much longer than the standard plastic valves.
- Invest in a tank system that’s lined with glass, which holds up better under the corrosion that occurs inside water heater tanks.
- Get a water heater with digital display controls for easy monitoring of water heater settings and securing energy savings.
- Make sure the system’s warranty is competitive. In general, the longer the warranty, the more durable the system.
Need help in deciding which water heater you should purchase? For answers to your questions, contact the Pink Plumber today.
Image Source: Flickr
