Water heating is the largest energy user in your home, next to heating and cooling.
This percentage continues to rise, as homes become more and more energy efficient in other ways. A technician from Heat Relief can help you select the water heater that best reduces water heating costs and increases your home comfort.
Selecting a New Water Heater
When choosing a new water heater, there are numerous factors to consider, including type, capacity, efficiency, and cost.
Type. Traditional water heaters tend to be most common, however, there are a number of other types of water heaters including Tankless water heaters that may suit your needs.
Tankless Water Heaters
- Hot water on demand – UNLIMITED
- On average 30% more energy efficient than a traditional water heater
- Advanced technology allows for 98% efficiency
- Reduces water heating costs by up to 50% in most households due to on-demand performance
- Increased life over ordinary water heaters due to coated copper heat exchanger, which prevents corrosion and deterioration.
- The air inside your home cleaner and healthier due to low emission technology that reduces the CO and NOx emissions
- The digital control panel allows for precise control of the water temperature while the advanced valve system maintains a constant temperature.
Capacity. Sizing of hot water heaters should be based on the number of occupants and their peak hour water demand and not on the size of the house. The peak hour demand or first-hour rating (FHR) is the measure of how much hot water the heater will deliver in an hour and is required by law to appear on the Energy Guide Label. Don’t buy a water heater bigger than you need, or you’ll be paying extra for something you don’t need! Your Heat Relief technician will perform a capacity test to determine the right size water heater for your home.
Efficiency. The “Energy Factor” (EF) indicates the energy efficiency of a storage water heater. Gas water heaters have an EF between 0.50 and 0.60, with some high-efficiency models around 0.80. The higher the EF, the more efficient the water heater. When buying a new water heater make sure to check the energy efficiency rating shown on the Energy Guide labels and look for one with at least 1.5 inches of foam insulation.
Cost. It’s very easy to look for an inexpensive water heater and ignore the operating costs. Often the least expensive water heaters are the most expensive to operate. A high-efficiency water heater may cost a little more initially, but reduced operating costs will more then make up for the higher outlay. Check the Energy Guide label to help choose an energy thrifty heater.
For more on tankless water heaters or any of our other products and services, please fill contact us online via our schedule service form, or give us a call at 503-261-9915. Don’t forget to ask us about our exclusive 100% Satisfaction Guarantee!
