What to Consider When Purchasing a Water Heater

With multiple types of Brooklyn water heaters available today, it can be a bit more difficult to understand and decide which one is right for your Brooklyn home. The size of your house, heat source, and your hot water needs can factor into what is the most-efficient option.

A pro Brooklyn plumber at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning will help you understand the different types available for your hot water needs. Simply continue reading or reach out to us today!

1) Water Heater Types

Traditional Water Heaters

A conventional, or traditional water heater, is the most common type of heating system in residential households. It features a tank which heats and holds warm water in a reservoir. It works by pulling hot water from the tank during usage, whether sink, shower, laundry, or other sources. 

Indirect Water Heaters

For most homes, an indirect water heater is a more-efficient choice. Using the main furnace or boiler, it circulates and heats a fluid through a heat exchanger within the storage tank. Energy is saved by the furnace turning off and on less frequently. A well-insulated tank and a high-efficiency boiler, used in conjunction with an indirect water heater, will generally provide hot water at a lower overall cost. We are one of the few companies in Brooklyn that specializes in indirect water heaters.

Hybrid Water Heaters

These units combine conventional electrical storage heaters with an air pump to heat the water. The pumps pull heat from the air surrounding the unit and as a result, these units tend to operate 60 percent more efficiently than standard electric heaters. While appealing, hybrid units are the largest of the three and need up to 1,000 cubic feet of uncooled space to capture the surrounding heat.

Tankless Water Heaters

A tankless water heater will cost more up front than the other types of water heaters, however, they are more energy efficient and last longer. Additionally, it takes up less space due to not having a hot water reservoir. When a hot water faucet is utilized, water flows through the heat exchanger or heater coils installed on the main furnace or boiler for more of an “on demand” hot water experience.

Pros of a Tankless Water Heater

Thinking about going tankless? Here are some of the pros and cons to remember before making the investment. 

• They take up less space: The average traditional water heater is about 54 to 60 inches tall and 20 inches in diameter while a tankless unit is only about 27 inches tall, 18 inches wide and 10 inches deep.
• They rarely leak so they cause less water damage: There are some issues that might cause some minor leaks but these won’t flood your entire basement or utility room.
• They have a longer life cycle: Tankless units last about 20 years while a traditional water heater lasts about 10 years.
• There’s zero risk of a tank exploding: Since they do not have a tank, dangerous amounts of sediment build-up cannot occur, making it explosion-proof.

Tankless Water Heater Cons

However, a tankless water heater is not for everyone. Some issues include:

• They are more expensive: Traditional water heaters cost, on average, about a third less to purchase and install than their tankless counterparts. This is mostly because of the special wiring and other retrofitting that must be done to install a tankless unit.
• They take longer to deliver hot water: While both types sometimes take a bit to deliver hot water, tankless water heaters can be a bit slower because the cool water in the pipes has to flush out before the heated water arrives.
• They don’t work during a power outage: A traditional water heater stores several gallons of heated water that can be used before it also cools down due to a power outage. However, a tankless unit cannot produce any hot water without electricity.

2) When You Need a Hot Water Heater

If you’re not sure if you need a new hot water heater, here are a few things to consider.

• Your Water Heater is Making Odd Noises: Some water heaters will start making banging or rumbling noises because of sediment build-up at the bottom of the tank. As the water heats up, the sediment hardens and knocks around on the tank.

• Your Water Heater is Old: If you can’t remember when you last purchased your water heater or it came with the home you bought 10 years ago, chances are it needs to be replaced. Water heaters generally start to wear down after about 10 years. You can check to see if there is a sticker with the installation date on the tank or you can write down the serial number and check with the manufacturer to get an age.

• Your Water Heater is Leaking: If you see puddles around the water heater, the chances of a small crack are great. Water heater tanks expand and contract when the water heats up and then gets used and this can cause damage to the tank over time.

• Your Hot Water Doesn’t Last Long: Water heaters not only take longer to heat water as they age, the buildup of sediment also begins taking up more room in the tank, providing less storage for the heated water.

• There’s Rusty Water Coming from the Taps: Rusty water is generally a sign of an exhausted anode rod. Sometimes these can be replaced on newer models, but if the water heater is already nearing the 10-year mark, it’s best to simply replace the entire system.

Get Help from the Brooklyn Water Heater Experts

Is the water heater at your home or building really old or damaged beyond the point of not being worth fixing? Are you in the midst of a major remodeling project? In many cases, it’s better to replace your water heater than to try to fix the old one. Our team of experts can take care of the entire process of new water heater installation. 

At Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, we offer a wide variety of water heaters including indirect, traditional and tankless units. Each style has its benefits and we can recommend the one that is right for your home and budget.

Whether you’re remodeling your home or building a new one, you need a company that you can count on for affordable and professional hot water heater installation in Brooklyn, NY. At Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning, we can help. When you need dependable hot water heater services, give us a call!