We often take for granted the luxury of taking a warm shower on a cold day or running your dishwasher with warm water to thoroughly clean them. Your Bay Area water heater works tirelessly to help you be comfortable as well as perform daily tasks with efficiency and speed. With the many choices of water heaters out there, it can be difficult to decide what type of water heater is best for your Northern California home. The following are the most common types of water heaters and how they can best serve your home or business.
Storage Tank Water Heaters
Storage tank water heaters come in both gas, oil, and electric. These heaters are most common due to their age and price. These “traditional” or tank water heaters are essentially an insulated tank that holds 30-50 gallons of water. These tanks heat and store the water until you need to use it, in which case a pipe delivers it to your destination. The problem with this type of heater is that it consumes a lot of energy as it is always working to keep the water inside the tank hot. While cheaper, this constant heating will be costlier in the future.
Tankless Water Heaters
These heaters are gas or electric and are especially popular in homes that do not have the space for a large storage tank. Typically, these tanks take up 2’ x 2’ at the most and are surprisingly powerful. While these heaters are pricier than tank options, they will save you space and money in the long-term. Another positive is that this system heats 1-3 gallons of water per-minute – saving you any waiting time.
Heat Pump Water Heaters
These electric heaters work similarly to your refrigerator. In this system, heat is extracted from the air using a refrigerant and transfers it to your water. The benefits of heat pump water heaters is that they dehumidify your home and also keep it cooler in summer months. On the other hand, this system will hike up your heating bill in the winter.
Solar Water Heaters
Solar water heaters are energy efficient and can be cost effective in the long-term. These heaters use the sun to heat your water supply. The main drawbacks of this option is the initial installation price and inconsistent sunlight.
Contact your Bay Area water heater experts at Absolute Plumbing and Drain today for a comprehensive inspection, repair, or installation of your new system.