Water heaters are one of the most important appliances in a home. We use hot water for many of our daily activities; from cooking to washing and bathing. By reason of the fact that a water heater is in constant use in the home, it is highly susceptible to rapid deterioration.
Some of the features of this appliance lend themselves to the process of deterioration. Some of the components in the heater expands when hot and contracts when cold. This constant expansion and contraction contributes to the process of deterioration.
What this means therefore is that no matter the quality of the model you bought, it would surely need replacement. The need for water heater replacement is not to be taken lightly. You need to understand when your appliance is due for replacement and how to go about it the right way. In this article therefore, we will explore basic facts that will help you make an informed decision.
Is your Water Heater Due for Replacement?
Before you talk of replacing your heater, you must of necessity know if or when it is due for replacement. Once this appliance crosses the 10- year mark, you need to start considering replacing it.
The following are criteria that show that you need to replace this appliance:-
- Age – Like we already mentioned, the older the appliance gets, the less efficient it becomes. More so, it becomes more susceptible to constant breakdowns and might even require costly repairs. Therefore, it will make financial sense for you to replace it than keep spending money on repairs.
- Diminishing Supply – Once the supply of hot water starts reducing, you need to consider changing the heater.
- Increased Electricity Bill– If you notice that your electricity bill is rising and the first 2 criteria is already in place, it means this appliance is consuming more energy than before due to age.
- Need for Constant Repair – Once the heater begins to need constant repair, it is time to budget for a new one.
- Visible Damage or Leaks – If you notice that the appliance is leaking or that it is damaged in any area, it is important to deal with the leak or damage. In the process of addressing the problem, you might discover that the cost of repair is not worth it and that a replacement is better.
Benefits of Replacing Old Appliances
There are many benefits to replacing old appliances. Since we are talking about heaters in the home, find below the benefit you will get from replacing worn out ones:-
- Save money
- Opportunity to upgrade to a better model
- Water conservation. Visit this site https://earth.org/ for more information on this subject.
- Opportunity to get an option that doesn’t take up much space
- More efficiency that helps you get hot water on demand
Different Options to Consider
Having looked at the criteria for heater replacement and the benefits of doing so, the following are some options to consider when shopping for a replacement:-
Storage Tank Option
These are the conventional hot water systems found in most homes. These are insulated tanks that heats up water and stores it until when needed. This option comes in different sizes ranging from 40 to 80 gallons; it is relatively pocket-friendly and quite easy to install.
The downside of this option is that supply on demand is limited and not as energy efficient as other options.
Tankless Option
These are also referred to as on- demand heaters which mean that the water is heated as it flows through the appliance. This therefore means that they do not take up much space since there is no need for storage. Additionally, you get hot water on demand due to the way the unit operates.
The advantage of this option is that is quite energy efficient since there is no need for storage (loss of standby energy is reduced). They are also known to last longer than the storage option. The downside however is that the initial purchase cost is high and also the home might need electrical or gas supply upgrade.
Electric Option
These options use electric resistance elements for heating water. They are most common in storage tank heaters and they are also more effective with this option. They are less expensive to buy and install and are also easier to maintain than the gas options.
The downsides include higher energy bills and slower recovery rates after depletion of the storage.
Gas Option
These use propane or natural gas for the heating of water. They can be found in both the tankless and storage tank options. They have lower operating costs than the electric options and also faster recovery rate when storage is depleted.
Downsides of this option include need for gas connection which requires proper venting leading to potentially higher installation cost and unavailability of access to natural gas.
Click here to read about safety measures for gas installations in the home.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shared some important information that will help you determine whether it is time to replace your water heater. We have also shared benefits that you get from replacing worn out heaters. Bear these tips in mind so that you can make an informed decision.
