A water heater is a definite necessity in every home. Even though most people will not appreciate them much during warm weather, it is during the cold seasons when a water heater’s value is truly appreciated. If you are shopping for a water heater, it is important to realize that there are different methods of heating water.
Types of water heaters for the home
1. Storage water heaters
These are the most popular in U.S homes owing to their convenience and relatively straight forward maintenance requirements. This type of heater uses a standard tank where water is stored and heated. To reduce the loss of heat, the tanks are heavily insulated. When hot water is demanded, it flows out through an outlet pipe located on the top part of the tank and is replaced by cold water through a bottom inlet. Unfortunately, energy is lost because water in the reservoir is continuously being heated even if hot water is not demanded. Fuel sources for storage water heaters include electricity, natural gas, oil, and propane.
2. Tankless water heaters
These are also called on demand water heaters because they do not preheat the water. Instead, water is heated by coils as it flows out. Because water is not continuously heated like in storage water tanks, they are more energy efficient and cheaper to run. However, the amount of water that can be heated at a time is little; you definitely won’t be running a shower and cleaning dishes at the same …