What Type Of Water Heater Is Most Energy Efficient?
You rely on your Windsor, ON, water heater to supply plenty of hot water for showers, cooking, cleaning and laundry. In a typical household, heating water accounts for about 20% of your annual energy expenses. When it’s time to replace your water heater, choosing one that’s energy-efficient will save you money, reduce your home’s carbon footprint and add convenience to your life.
At Guaranteed Comfort Heating & Cooling, we install a range of tankless and conventional storage-tank water heaters to suit your needs and budget. Use these tips to choose the most energy-efficient water heater for your home.
Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless water heaters are more energy-efficient than conventional storage-tank water heaters. That’s because there’s no supply of stored water to keep hot all the time. The tankless water heaters are also called “instantaneous water heaters” because they only heat the water once you turn on the hot water. No energy is expended to maintain a supply of hot water.
Conventional Storage-tank Water Heaters
Conventional storage-tank water heaters aren’t as energy-efficient as the average tankless water heater. However, some storage tank water heaters are more efficient than other models.
New storage tank water heaters offer some improved features over past generations, such as intermittent pilot lights. Instead of keeping the pilot light on all the time and burning some natural gas to do so, these water heaters only turn on the pilot when you turn on the hot water tap. A separate heating element keeps the existing supply of water in the tank at the desired temperature.
Gas Versus Electric Water Heaters
Gas-powered water heaters use less energy to heat water compared to electric water heaters. If you’re looking to save money and boost efficiency, choose a gas-powered unit. A gas-powered tankless water heater is the most energy-efficient option, even though some heat may be lost to the flue gases.
If your home is already equipped with a heat or energy recovery ventilator, it will capture this heat and reuse it. You can choose a water heater powered by natural gas or propane. Keep in mind that natural gas and propane costs may differ from one winter or one supplier to the next, so your costs will still vary.
Electric water heaters don’t lose any heat to flue gases. However, electric water heaters use more energy to heat a litre of water compared to what a gas-powered water heater will use.
Insulation for Water Heaters
If you select a conventional storage-tank water heater, Guaranteed Comfort Heating & Cooling can install an insulation blanket around it. The insulation reduces unwanted heat loss through the tank. This will reduce the amount of energy the water heater uses to maintain the supply of hot water. We also recommend insulating the water pipes.
Energy Star Certification
When shopping for a new water heater, look for models that show the Energy Star certification. These units use 10% to 30% less energy to heat each litre of water compared to a water heater without this certification. You could save 10% or more on your annual utility costs by choosing an Energy Star-certified water heater.
Other Considerations for Energy-efficient Water Heaters
New energy-efficient water heaters with storage tanks are bigger than their old counterparts. That’s because the tanks use more insulation between the walls of metal. These tanks are taller and wider, so you’ll need to ensure that the new one you choose will fit in your home.
How Maintenance Affects Water Heater Efficiency
Even if you select the most energy-efficient water heater, it’s important to maintain it. A well-maintained water heater will operate at its peak efficiency level. For a storage-tank water heater, maintenance includes draining and cleaning the tank to remove sediment buildup. For tankless water heaters, maintenance includes checking and tightening supply valves, flow valves, and the thermostat. Guaranteed Comfort Heating & Cooling recommends an annual maintenance visit for your water heater.
At Guaranteed Comfort Heating & Cooling, we’re proud to be Windsor’s trusted providers of tankless water heaters. Local homeowners also count on us for reliable air purification, heat, and energy recovery ventilators, air filters, ductless split systems, UV air cleaners, and air purifiers, smart thermostats, and boilers. Our heating, air conditioning, ventilation, and plumbing maintenance, repair, and installation services are done with your safety and comfort in mind. To learn more about the most energy-efficient water heaters we install, get in touch with us at Guaranteed Comfort Heating & Cooling today.