When it comes to heating the water in your home, there are many different options to do so. Among them are electric water heaters, propane gas water heaters, and natural gas water heaters. If you are looking for a safe alternative to heat your water without using some type of gas, an electric water heater replacement may be for you.
Although different types of gas water heaters are built to be safe, they still can develop leaks, either in the water heater itself or the connections that hook the water heater up to the fuel source. Having a carbon monoxide detector in your home can help you to know when there is some sort of leak, and prevent a disaster. Or, you can go with the other (more safe) option and just have an electric water heater installed. The next question is, where do you start?
Up until a few years ago, there was really only one type of water heater available on the market, the big and bulky model that has a tank for the storage and heating of the water. This model has its advantages and disadvantages. The normal models installed in homes hold anywhere from 40 to 50 gallons of water at a time (higher capacity models are available as well). This is good because you can go throughout the day running your dishwasher, washer, and use hot water for other purposes and still have enough water left for the people in your home to take showers or baths.
The disadvantage is if you have company over and there are around 8-10 people who need to take showers, you may not have enough water for everyone. The tank model also takes up a lot of room. Usually a whole closet or storage space in the garage is taken up to house the water heater. This space could be used for other purposes, storage is important as the years go on and you start to accumulate useful tools and other things.
The other option, which is newer in the US market, is the tankless water heater. It takes up a lot less space, being much smaller than the tank model. It is a wall mount model that is barely larger than most outdoor 4-16 station sprinkler stations. It also an “on demand” type water heater, which means when you turn on your hot water, cold water is taken in and heated immediately and ready for you to use on the spot. This means that a lot of people can take showers and be supplied with the hot water they want and need. It is also much more efficient and will save money on your electric bill.
The drawback of this type of heater is that it is difficult to run your washer or dishwasher at the same time as taking a shower. The water may not be heated fast enough to provide the temperature needed to perform both tasks at the same time. However, this can be fixed by installing another unit that is dedicated solely to the appliances in your home. It will cost a little more, but it will be worth it in the long run.