American homeowners and business owners are learning that the lowest priced water heater may cost more to operate and maintain over the lifetime of this necessary water use appliance. Homeowners have also found that buying an over sized hot water heater too big for your home, also comes with a higher purchase price and requires increased energy costs to operate.
What Is The Green Side To Heating Water And Saving Money?
Atlas Plumbing helps cut costs by choosing the right size water heater for your home!
Choosing the right sized water heater is a very easy task. Properly sizing a water heater first, usually involves estimating the appropriate First Hour Rating (FHR) based on the estimated hot-water use you have compiled for your home or business. FHR describes the amount of hot water (in gallons) a water heater can provide in the first hour, starting with a full tank of hot water. This FHR depends entirely on the tank capacity of the traditional water heater, which is the source of heat, burner or element, and the size of the burner or element. This FHR rating also appears on every EnergyGuide label in the top left corner, with the exception of heat-pump water heaters.
How Do You Select The Proper Size Water Heater?
Selecting the proper size water heater, begins the process with an FHR that matches the home's anticipated peak water demand within one or two gallons. There are several worksheets you can use that will can help you figure what peak demand would be for your home or business. There is one at the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association's website, or if you go to chapter 48 of the 1999 ASHRAE Handbook of HVAC Applications, either can help you complete this valuable piece of information to factor into your numbers.
Additional factors you may want to consider before you buy; in addition to the FHR rating, are the Energy Factor (EF), which is also shown on the EnergyGuide label. This provides energy efficiency based on how much hot water is consumed in an average day. So the higher the EF, the more efficient the unit and is directly affected by usage. Looking for models with a thermal resistance (R-value) of R-12 to R-25 is a second factor. Since gas and oil water heaters also have venting-related losses, you may want to look for units that are either fan-assisted or have atmospheric sealed-combustion chambers to reduce those losses. Selection of a Tankless variety is a third option.
What About Tankless Water Heaters? What Is The Difference From A Water Heater?
This third alternative for an even more energy-efficient way to heat water, would be to consider installing a Tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters use a heat exchanger or a coil which is installed in a furnace or boiler, to heat water directly, as it passes over the exchanger or coil area. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that heating water accounts for up to 14 percent of the average U.S. household energy budget. That by itself is a really surprising number. This means that a lot of money goes down the drain in the form of standby losses. Stand by losses is the energy lost from warm water sitting unused in a tank. This is why a Tankles Water Heater can save you more. It doesn't use a tank to store the water, it heats on demand.
How Much Can A Tankless Water Heater Really Save You?
Tankless water heaters provide hot water at a preset temperature only when needed, or on demand, eliminating standby loss. While Tankless Water Heaters may cost more at first, they pay for themselves very quickly. Tankless Water Heaters range in price from $200 for a small under-sink unit up to $1,500 for a gas-fired unit that can deliver up to five gallons of hot water per minute. This is quite a bit more hot water than a typical tank system will deliver.
Many of the new high-efficiency Hot Water Tank units can cost nearly as much as the high-end tankless ones. While installation costs for a Tankless Water Heater may run up to two to four times higher than tank types. It becomes a toss up on the money. Do you want to save now or in a few months? While installation is easiest in new construction for the Tankless models; it is also possible to retrofit your current home or business by re-sizing gas supply lines and handling extra wiring that may be needed to perform properly.
The NAHB Research Center reports that, electric Tankless Water Heaters cost 10 to 20 percent less to operate per year than conventional tank-type heaters. Gas Tankless units cost 20 to 40 percent less per year to operate. The expected life of tankless units is also greater: 20 years as opposed to 10 to 15 years for tank-type units.
Evaluating these figures and coming up with what will work best for you is what Atlas Plumbing in Dallas can help you decide. By educating you with the best options for your home or business, Atlas you Dallas based green plumber can help you conserve water save money, protect the investment of your home and add value to your asset. Call us today, and ask about the Atlas Go Green Program for your home. Start Saving Now!
