While water heaters are a vital aspect of any home, its purpose is often overlooked and misunderstood. A decent portion of your energy bills go to the water heater, so you might have an inclining that it’s fairly important. If you’re still not sure about what it is, we’ve listed some quick facts below on the basics of water heaters.
What can Water Heaters do?
- Water heaters are primarily used for daily tasks including: bathing, cooking, cleaning, and space heating for specific areas.
- Beyond this, it has many other functions that also has industry benefits.
- For most individuals, their water heater functions don’t even cross their minds until there is a leak or it fails to work properly.
- On average, a standard hot tank water heater has a solid lifespan between 8-12 years.
- A tankless water heater can double that time frame, lasting nearly 20 years.
MAIN TYPES
The easiest way to remember water heater information is to break it down into 3 sections: standard tank, tankless, and heat pump.
When it comes to the most commonly used water heaters, the tank, standard, and traditional are popular because of its large heated storage tank of water. This provides water for all of your faucet-involved tasks.
A tankless water heater is known as “on-demand,” because the water is heated and ready for use at any given time. While they are typically more money up front to purchase, overtime they are quite the money savers.
At this point in time, heat pump water heaters are only available in electric, but have features resembling the traditional tank water heater. Heat pump water heaters are a practical option for homes without gas, because of their ability to be energy efficient.
THE DETAILS
Beyond the 3 types previously mentioned, there are various ways that these water heaters are further differentiated. Energy efficiency is most commonly noted, along with how they’re powered (i.e. natural gas or electricity). This is determined by how the water heater converts energy so it can transfer heat into the water itself.
It’s safe to assume that while this is a solid foundation to start with, there are still many details to learn when it comes to water heaters. At Graydon Faulstick Plumbing, we are equipped to answer any questions you have concerning water heaters and potential issues that may arise. You can reach us at 570-992-0447 or 610-381-4171 for more information.
