How To Consider a New Water Heater for Your Home Cary NC

Gas or Electric Tank Water Heaters.

Tank water heaters are the most common type of water heater installed in American homes. You will have a gas-powered water heater or an electric water heater depending on what power source your house runs on. If the rest of the house is powered by gas you will have a gas-powered water heater; if it runs on electricity, you will have an electric water heater. Because of this, trying to compare the two is somewhat impractical. However, you can compare gas to gas or electric to electric.

• The first feature to look at is the energy factor (EF). Don't worry about combustion efficiency or heating efficiency if they are listed. The bottom line: overall efficiency is the EF.
  
• Also on the energy-guide label, check the “first hour rating” to find out how many gallons the water heater can produce in one hour and make sure the amount will be enough for your needs.
  
• Lastly, check the “temperature rise” measurement; it should be at 90 F or close to it.

For electric heaters, make sure your hose has a 220 volt outlet to plug the tank into as well as enough room for the tank. Electric heaters often have larger heaters so they can provide a larger ready supply of hot water to make up for slower heating time compared to gas heaters.

Other Types of Water Heaters. Are you considering switching from an electric to a gas water heater? Are there gas lines available for the water heater or can they be installed? Do you have proper ventilation with the outside for the gas and air? Is there a second story directly above the water heater? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might want to consider a direct vent water heater or a power vent water heater.

• Direct Vent. Direct vent water heaters are ideal for spaces with difficult angles or for those wishing to convert from an electric to a gas heater. It has a built-in venting system using a two-pronged pipe which brings in air from the outside and expels the exhaust through an adjacent wall, instead of the roof. And because this venting system creates an air tight combustion chamber, it effectively prevents backdrafting, where gas fumes escape into the air directly around the water heater. ...

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  Author: John Haynes