Four Different Water Heating Options For Your Home


Choosing a method for heating water in your home involves weighing up the pros and cons of several different approaches. Factors such as efficiency, cost, and the level of your household's hot water consumption will undoubtedly come into play. With numerous options available on the market, it is often advisable to consult a qualified plumber to help you make an informed decision. Read on to find out more about the different water heater options available today that will ensure your home has a ready supply of hot water when you need it.

1. Hot Water Storage Tanks

Common in many older properties, storage tanks remain a common type of water heater installation even in new build properties. Also known as conventional water heaters, they consist of an insulated tank in which cold water supplied from the mains will be heated. It is then stored until it is drawn upon, for example, when the bathtub is run. These heaters can run on natural gas, propane, or electricity, so they afford a great degree of flexibility. While they are relatively inexpensive to install, they can cost more to run than other options. This is because they're typically less energy-efficient since they're designed to maintain the stored water at a set temperature day and night.

2. Tankless Water Heaters

As their name implies, tankless water heaters don't store hot water. Instead, they heat it as you draw water through your home's hot water system. These units, sometimes referred to as combi-boilers, use an intense deployment of heat against water-filled coils to warm up cold water on demand. For the most part, they are considered to be more energy-efficient than storage tanks. One clear downside is that they are quite expensive, both to buy and install. Another consideration is that their capacity can also be limited, a problem for larger households with multiple bathrooms, for example.

3. Ground Or Air Heat Pumps

Heat pumps utilize a little electricity to transfer heat that has been gained from the air or the ground to heat water. This means they're highly efficient since they don't draw upon a great deal of energy from external sources. Because of this fact, they tend to work best in warmer environments so they're not always a good choice in northern parts of the country. Additionally, heat pumps are considerably costlier than other options.

4. Solar-Powered Water Heaters

Finally, solar-powered hot water systems use nothing more than the sun's rays to heat water up. Usually fitted on the roof of a building, their panels are not suited to all locations, such as apartments without a rooftop. However, in many locations, they make for an environmentally friendly choice. Although the expected running costs will be low, installing them can be more costly. Furthermore, their performance will be impacted by how sunny it may or not be. As such, people who have them usually need a secondary system. 

For more information about water heater installation, contact a local company. 

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A Job for the Ages: Plumbers

Plumbers have been around for as long as homes have had running water. And do you know what? They'll be around for many, many more years to come. Plumbing is not a job that can easily be outsourced or done remotely. Your plumber can't exactly install your shower or fix your toilet unless they are in your actual home. Keep this in mind if you are ever looking for a job that can be done in-person. We'll share some more about plumbers on this blog, and we encourage you to read what we have to say, even if you just have a tiny interest in this field.

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