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Water Heaters
Water heaters are responsible for supplying
your home with heated water by using energy to covert cold
water to hot water. Traditional water heaters use a storage
tank to hold heated water until it is needed. They typically
run off of natural gas, but electric and propane heaters
are also common. In addition, there are also tank less water
heaters that route water to where it needs to be instead
of storing it.
When purchasing a new water heater, or
simply replacing your old one, you must first decide on
whether to buy a gas or electric model. If you're replacing
an existing water heater, check to see what type you have
now. Certain house are not equipped with a natural gas outlet.
In this case, you are best going with an electric water
heater. Keep in mind, however, that it is more expensive
to operate an electric model.
Next you must decide what size water heater
you will need. The size of your heater depends on the amount
of bathrooms in your home, the size of your bathtubs, and
the amount of people that will be using water. 30 to 40
gallon heaters will typically supply a one bathroom home.
As the amount of bathrooms increase, the size of your heater
needs to increase. Keep in mind that electric water heaters
require more time to heat, and will therefore need a larger
tank to store the water, as opposed to gas heaters. For
this reason, homes that would require a 50 gallon gas heater
will need an larger electric one.
As with any household appliance, a certain
amount of maintenance is require. Most problems associated
with water heaters are related to the water being too hot,
too cold, or just not enough of it. To make sure that water
does not run at extremely hot temperatures, make sure your
thermostat is at 120 degrees. Many injuries are cause by
people coming in contact with scalding water. You now have
the option of installing cut off valves to your tubs and
showers that will automatically stop the flow of water when
temperatures dramatically increase.
If you are noticing that there isn't enough
hot water during your showers and such, you may need to
upgrade to a larger tank, or install a second water heater
to provide more storage space. Often times you will notice
that you aren't getting hot water at all. This could mean
one of two things depending on the type of heater you have.
If you have a gas-powered heater you may need to check the
pilot light or gas line. For electric heaters you may need
to reset the thermostat and check to make sure power is
running to it.
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