When you own a home, one of the biggest expenses is keeping it heated. And that’s not just during the winter months when the temperature drops. Keeping your home warm during the spring, summer and even fall can be challenging when you factor in the cost of heating oil, gas or electricity. Even if your neighborhood is relatively temperate, the cost of heating your home can still add up quickly if you don’t take steps to reduce your energy consumption. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can keep your home warm and comfortable with a relatively small investment in basic heating solutions. Here are some common problems associated with water heaters that can be addressed with the installation of an electric water heater or hybrid water heater.
One of the most common problems with a traditional gas or oil water heater is that they were installed without taking into consideration the length of time they’d need to keep your home warm. While a gas or oil water heater can be installed in a matter of hours, an electric water heater usually requires a permit and installation by a licensed contractor. This can be an issue if you’re working with a general contractor, but if you’re planning on doing the work yourself, you may want to consider hiring a professional. This is especially true if you plan on installing a hybrid water heater — you’ll need to be particularly careful to make sure the installation is done correctly and that you have all the correct permits.Miscalculation of HVAC usage can also occur when a home’s HVAC system is installed without taking into account the amount of water that will be used. Most homes with a central HVAC system use between 3-5 gallons per person per day. However, if you have children or people with special needs, that number can increase significantly. Having a water heater that can accommodate those higher volumes of water can help prevent a miscalculation of HVAC usage. It’s also important to make sure your water heater is installed properly so that it doesn’t interfere with the operation of your HVAC system.
Even in temperate climates, it’s important to have hot water available for washing, bathing and other household tasks. If you have an older water heater that’s not equipped with a temperature regulator, it’s likely that there will be times when you won’t have hot water. Older water heaters can also be difficult to repair when they break down, and repairing them can be quite expensive.
As mentioned before, an electric water heater is usually more reliable than a gas or oil water heater. However, an electric water heater is also more prone to outages than a gas or oil water heater. This is because an electric water heater relies on a power source that can go out at any time.In addition to being more reliable, an electric water heater is also usually more cost-effective. While the average cost of a gas or oil water heater is around $800, the average cost of an electric water heater is around $600.
As mentioned before, water heaters are sized to keep the entire house warm, not just the kitchen and bathrooms. If you have people living in your home who are on a fixed income, they may not have the discretionary income to pay for electricity to run an electric water heater. In that case, an electric water heater may not be an option.
Most modern water heaters are sized to provide enough hot water for the entire home. However, many families end up running more than one appliance at a time, like washing machines and dishwashers, which can reduce the amount of water in the tank. If you’re using an appliance that uses less water, like a clothes dryer, it can also affect the amount of water in the water heater.
Most water heaters are sized to comfortably heat a family of four (at least in the United States). If you have more than four people in your home, you may want to consider upgrading to a bigger water heater. A water heater that can comfortably heat a family of four can also comfortably heat a family of five.
If you purchase an electric water heater, you can regulate the temperature of your water using a thermostat. However, if you purchase a traditional gas or oil water heater, you’ll need to let the water run until it gets cold before turning it off. There are a few reasons why you may want to keep your water at a certain temperature. For example, if you’re in the habit of washing your hair in cold water, the water may take longer to get warm if you have a water heater that doesn’t regulate the temperature.
The right water heater for your home will help ensure that you have plenty of hot water when you need it. While there are many different types of water heaters, they all fall into one of the three main categories discussed above. If you’re in the process of updating your water heater, make sure you consider all of your options — you don’t want to purchase one that won’t meet your needs.