One of the greatest advancements in modern technology is the ability to turn a knob and have hot water coming from the facets. This has made cleaning and bathing a lot easier.
You could be thinking about getting a water heater for your home but you’re not really sure of how to go about the process. Since it is a big purchase, you’ll want to make sure that you’re getting everything right.
Doing due diligence will be necessary so that you’re wasting your hard-earned money.
Check out some things before buying a Water Heater
The Longevity of Water Heaters
This is a question that you’re likely to ask yourself if you’re a homeowner. You’ll obviously be concerned when you start noticing problems with the water heater.
According to experts, an average water heater should last up to 10 years. This will depend on the installation, maintenance, and other variables that could affect the performance of the water heater. There are some clues above replacement that will be hard to avoid.
Type of Water Heater to Choose
This will depend on a couple of factors. When you’re out shopping, you’ll be surprised by the variety of water heaters available in the market. Despite the avalanche of options, the most popular type of water heater is the storage-tank water heater. This is so for a couple of reasons.
The main reason is that it can keep up to 80 gallons of hot water ready to go any time of the day. This will hugely depend on the size of the tank.
When it comes to the heating source, storage tanks can use gas, electricity, and propane as a source of energy. You need to make sure that the storage water heater that you choose is compatible with the energy source in your home.
Size of Water Heater
This is another major consideration in the decision-making process. You’ll have to take your household needs into consideration when determining the size of the water heater that you should get. You’re required to be keen with the hours of the day where there is a lot of hot water being used in your household.
According to statistics, 10 gallons of water are used per shower. You can multiply that with the number of family members and the times you take a shower in a day. If you have a big family, it will only make sense to go for a bigger tank to accommodate the needs of everyone.
If you leave alone, maybe all that you’ll need is an under the sink water heater if it is a small space.
Solar-powered Heater
You can opt for a solar-powered water heater if you’re looking to save on energy costs. The solar power will be responsible for the heating of the water.
Manufacturers are aware that it is not always that the sun will be out. That is why the system is programmed to switch to electricity as the source of energy when there isn’t enough power from the sun to heat the water.
If you live in a place that experiences sunlight throughout the year, you can save thousands of dollars in electricity costs every year. If it is properly installed, such a system could last for decades with little maintenance required from your end.
One of the advantages of a solar water heater is that it uses a renewable source of energy. This reduces the carbon footprint. You should only install it if you’re going to stay at your current residence in the foreseeable future since it is a big investment.
Risks
Since hot water heaters are low-maintenance systems, you’re likely to notice there is an issue when it breaks. If there is no maintenance schedule in place, you could be looking at a complete replacement which will be the last thing you’d want to hear when you’re experiencing financial difficulties.
To ensure that there are no problems with the unit, there should be proper ventilation. This is because the water will need to be properly ventilated. Another concern will be the temperature and pressure levels.
If you don’t want to keep up checking the temperature and pressure levels, you can avoid investing in a storage tank altogether.
Conclusion
It is important that you’re doing the research before you decide to buy a water heater for your home. Examine your needs and that of the family so that you know the right size of the water heater to get. You should also get a reputable plumber to help with the installation.
