Is it time to choose a new water heater for your home? You have options! A variety of water heaters are on the market:

• Reservoir-based storage heaters. Conventional storage heaters, which heat a tank of heated water and keep it heated until you need it, remain the most popular type of water heater. These can use either natural gas or electricity. One drawback to standard tank systems: They waste energy by keeping that water warm at all times, even when it is not needed.
• Tankless or on-demand heaters. A tankless, or “on-demand,” water heater doesn’t heat the water until it’s needed, lowering your energy use. Like conventional heaters, they rely on the heat source in your home — natural gas or electricity. One drawback of a tankless water heater is that the flow rate can be limited. It also may be unable to meet simultaneous demands, such as a shower and a dishwasher running at the same time. Some people install more than one tankless heater for that reason.
• Pump-based heaters. While heat pumps are usually used to heat and cool homes, they can also heat your home’s water. These generally use electrical power to move already-existing heat from one area to another (rather than using energy to create heat). This also makes heat pumps a highly energy-efficient choice. When considering a heat pump, note that they require 1,000 cubic feet of open space around the heater.
• Solar heaters. Popular with those who wish to use green energy in their homes, they can be very cost-effective. Keep in mind that most solar heaters require a storage tank that’s insulated.
• Indirect and coil heaters. These systems use the home’s existing heating system to heat your water. Similar to tankless heaters, they are most efficient when the home heater is being used.

Questions? To discuss your water heating needs, contact All Year Heating, Air & Solar anytime to talk to a heating and cooling professional.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about choosing a water heater and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

All Year services the Greater Sacramento area.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!