Guide To Water Heater Installation For Your Home

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Why should homeowners be concerned about water heater installation for their homes? Technical reasons aside, value for money is the major factor. Numerous water heaters exist in the market, from traditional high capacity heaters to tank less units. It is imperative to understand the different types of heaters available in the market and their inherent features. This will give you confidence to have the most ideal and affordable one installed in your home. Three main factors come into play during selection and installation of water heaters.

Fuel – Most water heaters in the market are either gas or electricity powered. Gas powered units cost more than electric water heaters, but are less expensive to operate and maintain. During installation, outdoor venting is necessary to enhance safety. Therefore, any unit with sealed combustion or power venting is well worth it for safety purposes. An obvious benefit of these units is that power outages do not affect their performance.

Electric water heaters on the other hand are cheaper to install and maintain. They do not require venting, since there is no internal combustion that takes place. Companies are increasingly developing ingenious models with energy saving mechanisms, to curb the high cost of electricity. Generally, these heaters work faster than their fossil fuel alternatives.

Water storage – In terms of storage, two types of water heaters are available, conventional and tank less systems. Conventional water heaters, store water inside insulated tanks until need arises. Tank less units utilize coils to heat running water inside pipes. A conventional tank is economical and you may keep it inside a closet, basement or garage without any problem. It is ideal for big families, since water capacity ranges from 20 to 80 gallons per unit. Tank less systems on the other hand are expensive to purchase, but have outstanding energy efficiency. They are perfect for apartment and flat tenants, since they do not require additional floor space. However, hot water tends to run out after heavy usage.

Functionality – In terms of functionality, two forms of heaters come to mind, whole house and point of use systems. Whole house systems supply hot water to all or most fixtures at your home. Conversely, point of use systems are installed at a particular location, and deliver heated water from there only.

Other Factors To Consider Before Water Heater Installation

Aside from the major factors above, other criteria also come into play when choosing home water heaters.

They include:

Water capacity – Consider the number of bathrooms in your home, before making the final decision on the capacity of a conventional tank. For a tank less unit, you might consider the amount of hot water usually needed during particular times. This depends on the number of users, and major fixtures and appliances that utilize hot water at your home.

Energy Efficiency – The energy efficiency of heater units is vital, since water heater installation cost does not come cheaply. No matter the fuel source utilized, heater units consume significant amounts of energy. Luckily, stringent federal regulations require water heaters to maintain high energy-efficiency standards. Check the Energy Factor (EF) of any system before purchase. The higher the EF, the more efficient the unit is at conserving energy. An ideal energy saving water heater should have ratings as close to 1 as possible.

How To Install A Water Heater

Water heater installation is a bit technical by nature. It requires a number of tools and equipment and of course some muscle and technical know-how. You can attempt to do it yourself only if you are completely sure about the process. It is advisable to hire heater installation experts to carry out the job. These professionals are available online and from most home improvement stores.