How to choose the right Hot Water Heater for your Home?

Hot water heaters should serve you well for years, which means that when the time does come to replace one you need to choose carefully – you’re going to be using it for a long time! You need to choose a system that heats enough water for your needs, as efficiently as possible – and for the right price.

Choosing Between Different Types of Hot Water Heaters

Your decision isn’t made any easier by the wide variety of different types on the market. Calling a reliable HVAC Contractor can help in shortlisting your options. Let’s take a look at a few of your options:

Conventional Storage Tank

This, the most common type of hot water heater, simply involves heating and storing water in one well-insulated tank. The size of the tank will have a big impact on how much hot water you can use at once. The storage tank is the most popular type of water heater; although it isn’t the most efficient, yet it is cost-effective to install, and can provide a large amount of hot water.

Tankless Hot Water Heaters

These heaters heat water on demand, as you require it. This makes them more efficient that a conventional storage tank, but does also limit the amount of water you can use at once. This means larger homes, that might want to draw water for more than one reason at a time (for example, two bathrooms), may struggle with the limited capacity.

Solar Hot Water Heaters

A solar unit absorbs heat and energy from the sun and uses it to heat your water tank. In an area with ample sunlight all year round this can offer significant cost savings, but in colder climates, it can struggle during the winter. The biggest drawback to a solar hot water heater is the cost – far in excess of more traditional water heaters. The savings due to efficiency are good, but it can take years to payback the extra cost of the solar unit.

Heat Pump

A heat pump is a highly efficient option, but has somewhat demanding space requirements. A heat pump installation works by capturing heat from the surrounding air and using it to heat the water – but to do this it requires a warm location and plenty of space around it (width and height). These requirements can make it hard to install in many properties. Geo-thermal heat pumps capture heat from the Earth and circulate it to the home’s water storage tank but these are also more complex to install.

Factors to Consider

To decide between the different types of water heater installation  you need to consider a variety of factors and their importance to your decision. Space, budget, or even your local weather can affect your decision:

• Budget – The amount of money you have available to spend; don’t forget to include any installation costs.
• Hot Water Requirements – Some water heaters are limited in the volume of hot water they can provide all at once; try and calculate how much you need..
• Installation Space – Some types of water heaters, for example heat pumps, require far more room than others.
• Local Weather – The amount of sunlight you receive can significantly affect the efficiency and savings of switching to a solar solution.

Still not sure what to choose? Call the experts at H & H Heating and Air Conditioning, the authorized suppliers of Bradford white water heaters.