Choosing the right water heater for your home can be a daunting process. It is essential to select one that is able to provide enough hot water while not causing you to have high energy or water bills.

What criteria should I look out for when choosing a water heater?

The top five things to look out for are:

  1. The energy sources
  2. The availability of energy in your location
  3. The size of your water heater
  4. The energy efficiency
  5. The overall cost of installation and energy use.

You need to consider what is heating your water, and the cost of this heating source. Sources can include electricity, fuel oil, geothermal energy, natural gas, propane, and solar. When considering a water heater, it is wise to remember that not all energy sources may be available to you, so it is worth doing your research.

In addition to this, you need the correct size of water heater based on the size of your household and property, too small and you won’t feel the benefit, too large and its expense may mean you that you do not reap the energy efficiency benefits.

Energy efficiency should be considered as some types of heaters are made specially to be more economical, and can help you save money and be kinder to the environment. Calculating the cost of the water heater over a year can help you to compare water heaters. You can obtain guides on how to calculate energy, water, and cost efficiency of water heaters online.

What types of water heaters are there?

There are a few types of water heaters that may suit your home. These could include;

Conventional storage heaters – these usually have a storage tank that contains water and is kept heated until it is needed. These traditional water heating options include a pressure valve which can be opened to relieve pressure if required. These typically have a life expectancy of ten years.

A tankless or on-demand water heater heats water there and then, without storage. Typically, these systems are energy efficient (usually more so than conventional storage water heaters) but will generally be more expensive as an initial cost.

Heat pump water heaters will, instead of heating up the water directly, move heat from one place in the unit to another. Because of this, they do not work well in cold spaces and take up a considerable amount of space. However, these are one of the most efficient energy users and will offer lower energy bills.

Solar water heaters use the energy from the sun to heat the water. A tankless coil and indirect water heater will use a space heating system to heat the water. These are ideal for locations in sunny and warm regions.

Finding the right one for you

The best way to decide which type you need is by consulting a specialist. At ASAP Plumbers, we can help you to decide which water heater would be the most energy-efficient, cost-effective and practical for your home. If you’d like to find out more about choosing the right water heater for your needs, give us a call on 020 3441 6626.