Plumbing

Tips For Choosing And Installing Your Water Heater

Heat Pump

You have bought a new home! Hurray!! Many people only live that view through a dream, but you did it. Congratulations! You finally have the chance to build memories of your own in a place of your own. However, there are a few snags along the way. There always are.

You spent about a month in your new home and realized you’re going to need a new water heater, a vital part of any home. Our water heater makes sure we can wash dishes, clothes, and ourselves. Living without one can be most inconvenient. Below are some things to look out for when buying a new one and installing it.

What Are Your Needs?

A family of four can use a lot of hot water. Between Mom, Dad, Sister, and Brother all needing showers at least every other day, the water heater will get a workout. When you add washing dishes for four and clothing, as well, you begin to understand the vital importance of a water heater.

Quite the opposite, but just as important, is the single guy living in his bachelor pad. He has the same needs, but there is only one of him. So, he will obviously use less hot water. When searching for a new water heater, keep this in mind. It would be a waste of money for the bachelor to get a storage tank water heater, when a tankless water heater would be more suited for the needs of a single person.

What Kind of Energy Will You Use?

Depending on what you live in, deciding between electric, gas, or a heat pump can be confusing. Let’s see if we can clear that up a little. If you decide a storage tank water heater will fit your family’s needs best, using gas or liquid propane are usually the cheapest and most efficient routes for a tank of this size.

If a tankless is the way you’re headed, electricity is usually sufficient. Things are a little different if you and your family live in mobile home. In this case, electric water heaters a typically cheaper than gas. If you do choose to install a gas tank, make sure you have the appropriate hook ups and enough space.

Installation

After you have selected your new water heater and are ready to bring it home and install it, there are a few things to keep in mind. Installing a water heater is a relatively easy task, but there are some hiccups along the way that could make for a dangerous affair.

First, if you choose to use gas as your energy source, always make sure that gas lines are off and unhooked before you start your installation, as well as the water lines. Second, make sure the tank, itself, is empty. Third, when using gas, after installation is complete and before you light the pilot light, make sure your gas lines aren’t leaking.

At the end of the day, a nice hot shower using your new water heater will be a nice reward.

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Anna Johansson is a freelance writer, researcher, and business consultant from Olympia, WA. A columnist for Entrepreneur.com, Business.com and more. Anna specializes in entrepreneurship, technology, and social media trends. You can follow her on LinkedIn.

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