Choosing the Right Water Heater for Your Home
Choosing a water heating system for your West Covina home is an important decision that is not made so often. Therefore, it is crucial to make the decision carefully. In many West Covina households and business premises, 15 to 25 percent of energy usage is directed towards water heating.
While considering the many options available, a customer should choose a unit that is both efficient (considering the energy factor rating EF), and meets their water heating needs adequately.
The higher the EF of a unit the more efficient it is. Apart from the feature differences, consideration has to be made on the space available for the water heating system to be fitted as they come in different sizes and shapes.
Storage Water Heaters
These are the conventional and most common type of water heating system available. However, it is not efficient as it uses more energy to keep the large storage tank of water hot all the time.
This is even when no one is using the water. The system keeps the tank stratified with hot water at the top and incoming cold water at the bottom. It can be positioned in basements, garages, or a closet. The capacity ranges from 20 to 120 gallons.
Tank-less Water Heaters
These forms of heaters also known as instant water heaters or on-demand heaters come in different forms. The systems either heat water with a gas burner or an electric element as the water passes through.
They heat water when needed and do not have a storage medium. Though they are more expensive to set-up, they do not take up much floor space as they hang from walls like for showers and kitchen use. In the long-run, their energy usage is more efficient and is an excellent choice for residences that are occupied on a part-time basis.
Solar Water Heaters
These are water heating systems use outdoor panels that take advantage of the sun’s rays to heat water before it is directed to a conventional water heater or insulated hot water tank.
When necessary, like on less sunny days, the water is additionally heated by the conventional system using gas or electricity. There are two categories of solar heaters: active; which uses pumps and controls to get the heat to the water from the solar collector, and passive where the water flows naturally.
The initial costs of set-up are relatively high, but, the savings made in the long-run can be upwards of 50 to 80 percent of the initial water heating bills.
Not sure what water heater works for your West Covina, CA home? Call Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer at (626) 962-0885, and get the best advice from the professionals.