How To Choose The Right Water Heater For Your Home
Turning on a hot water tap only to find cold water pouring from the faucet can affect a variety of daily activities, such as bathing and washing dishes. The problem could stem from a broken water heater, small-sized equipment, or increased water usage, resulting in less hot water for your household’s needs. In these cases, it might be time to upgrade your home’s water heater.
Water heaters are one of the biggest energy consumers in a household, second only to HVAC equipment. Choosing the best water heater requires research if you want to maximize its output and maintain its energy efficiency. In this article, we put together a guide that explains everything you need to know about water heaters in Grand Rapids, MI.
Different Types Of Water Heaters In Grand Rapids, MI
Though water heaters are essential appliances that provide hot water to properties throughout the year, many Grand Rapids homeowners don’t pay much attention to them until a problem occurs. A busted water heater could lead to substantial water damage to your home and require a replacement.
Many homeowners choose to install a similar model to their faulty equipment. However, replacing a water heater may afford you the opportunity to explore other types with greater energy efficiency and hot water output. You will also need to explore various water heater types if you’re building a new home or adding to your current residence. Below we listed three of the most common water heaters in Cascade, MI and the benefits each one can provide.
Traditional Storage Tank Water Heater
Tank water heaters have a reservoir that stores gallons of water to warm using a heating component near the bottom of the tank. Many homes use this standard water heater due to its lower installation cost, low flow rate, and ability to accommodate natural gas and electric hookups.
Tankless Water Heater
Tankless water heaters produce water on demand. When someone turns on the hot water tap, cold water flows through the system and its heat exchanger. A natural gas burner or electric heating element warms the water as it flows through the unit and out of a faucet.
Many homeowners who want excellent energy efficiency in their water heaters choose the tankless variety. They’re more efficient than traditional heaters, which results in lower utility bills. Since the equipment doesn’t include a tank, you can also save on space with an on-demand water heater. Though tank water heaters can last up to 15 years with proper maintenance, the tankless variety can last five to ten years longer with care.
Indirect Water Heaters
Many residents in Grand Rapids, MI and the surrounding areas use hydronic heating systems, which are boilers that heat properties using water and radiant heat. Indirect water heaters will send the boiler’s hot water to the water heater’s heat exchanger. The appliance is efficient, has no extra burners to maintain, and doesn’t require separate fuel lines.
Common Fuel Choices For Water Heaters
Before buying a water heater for your home, consider its fuel source. Not every home has the capability of handling every type of fuel, so you might have limitations unless you’re willing to pay for additional installations. For example, if your house doesn’t have a gas line, you would have to contact a local gas company to install one into your home to run a gas water heater, increasing your installation expenses. Below is a list of common water heater fuel sources:
- Electricity: Most properties in the nation have access to electricity, which is suitable for any type of water heater. Electric water heaters are among the most common in Michigan.
- Oil: Fuel oil can power traditional and indirect water heaters.
- Natural Gas: Another popular fuel for water heaters is natural gas. If the service is available in your area, you could hook up a traditional, on-demand, or indirect water heater, but it works best for tankless models.
- Geothermal Energy: If your property has or will have a geothermal heat pump system, you could use the excess heat from its compressors to heat water in a geothermal water heater.
Tips for Choosing the Right Type of Water Heater for Your Grand Rapids Home
Installing a new water heater in Comstock Park, MI and surrounding areas is an investment for your home, which is why it should be chosen wisely. The experts at GRmetro can help direct you to the best solution for your home by considering important factors such as budget and hot water needs. Before finalizing your decision about your next water heater, here are additional factors to consider.
Check The Warranty
Most water heaters come with warranties that last up to 12 years. Models with longer warranties may be more expensive, but they often have improved components that heat water more quickly and efficiently. Consider water heaters offering the most extended warranty for added protection against damage and wear.
Know The Costs
Many expenses go into a water heater replacement, including equipment and labor costs. You should also consider the fuel type because it will affect your expenses as well. For instance, if you want a gas tankless water heater without a gas line, you’d have to pay for a gas company to install one. Take note of all installation-related and ongoing expenses to determine which water heater is the most energy efficient for its price.
Purchase The Right Size
Your new water heater should be the appropriate size to ensure it can handle your household’s average water usage needs. For instance, if you expect your family of five to take several showers and run the dishwasher and washing machine daily, a 55-gallon tank water heater may work well for you. Yet a two-person household without a dishwasher may benefit from a tankless water heater with a modest gallons-per-minute rating.
Get the Best Water Heater Services in Grand Rapids From GRmetro Heating and Cooling
Keep hot water flowing through your home’s tap without skyrocketing your energy costs with the help of GRmetro Heating and Cooling. Our licensed and trained comfort specialists work with tank, on-demand, and indirect water heaters that use any fuel source.
We not only offer expert water heater installation services, but our skilled technicians also provide water heater repair in Grand Rapids, MI, to remedy any problem with your existing equipment. Our top-rated company has a 100% satisfaction guarantee and excellent warranties for installations and labor. Call GRmetro Heating and Cooling today at (616) 965-2989 to request an estimate for water heater services.
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Water heaters are not very flexible and that’s kind of by design. Water heaters can cause a lot of strain on pipes and they can even begin to sway when water is briskly moving through them. The hard materials of your water heater are designed to sit there and funnel hot water to where it needs to go and remain stationary. Any movement in your plumbing system is a bad sign.
Imagine you’re finishing up hosting a pretty amazing little party with your friends and family. Perhaps one of your kiddos just turned 4, or you’re trying to get back into hosting a book club again, and you decided to make some delicious food. Now that everyone is having a good time and enjoying themselves, you realize that there’s a puddle and a sound coming from the basement. You don’t want to believe that there’s a water heater leak, but it’s the most likely outcome at this point.
One of the beauties of tankless water heating systems is that they have less contact with the water that actually goes through the system. The less surface-to-water contact there is, the less corrosion or deterioration that can take place over time. Basically, an on-demand water heater is going to require less maintenance than a tank system that has to hold all of that water. However, this isn’t to say that a tankless system doesn’t need any maintenance.
Is your water heater on the fritz? Then the good news is you might just need a quick repair from the professionals on our team. Here at GRmetro Heating and Cooling Inc, we specialize in water heater services from repairs to maintenance. But that might not be good enough in your specific situation, you might need more.
Water heating technology is always improving. Back in the day, you’d be lucky if you could garner enough hot water for one warm bath, let alone showers for the whole family. The times are changing and this is overwhelmingly a good thing if you’re a homeowner. However, with more technological advancements in the water heating business, come more options that homeowners know less and less about!
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