In the old days, all you had to think about was whether your house called for gas or electric water heaters. Not so today!
Old-fashioned, traditional water heaters have bulky water storage tanks, take lots of energy to operate, and result in high utility bills. And if you happen to use up all the hot water quickly, you have to wait up to an hour for more.
Today we have more choices. Here are three types of water heaters.
First, tankless water heaters. These take up less space and heat water on demand. Using a gas burner or electric coil, they heat up water instantly.
Another possibility is a heat pump water heater. Also known as hybrid water heaters, these operate by taking heat from the air. Working on a principle similar to refrigerators, they use a heat pump to compress surrounding air, expel the cool air, but retain the hot air for heating the water. And when more hot water is needed than the heat pump can produce, the hybrid function uses electrical coils to provide it. Hybrid water heaters are well suited to warm climates like ours in the Houston area.
Last are solar water heaters, another intriguing possibility. These use Earth’s sunlight, which is both abundant and free–the cheapest way to get hot water. Installed either on your roof or in your yard, this type of water heater uses either a direct or indirect circulation system, working with pumps to circulate water through solar collectors into storage tanks.
Paul the Plumber can give you more detail and help you choose which you want. Contact him.