Expert Water Heater Installation

Traditional models have a holding tank and a heating component. Gas water heaters use gas burners to heat water, while electric heaters use a heating element to accomplish the same. Solar water heaters use a storage tank heated by sunlight. All three use a storage tank holding 60-80 gallons. Tankless water heaters only heat water on demand, so they’re far more efficient—however, they are also more costly to buy.

The simple answer is when you have a hole in the tank. Pipe leaks and other repairs don’t require total system replacement, but there’s no durable fix for a hole in your water heater tank. In general, water heaters are designed to last 6-8 years at a time, but some electric heaters are advertised to last for 10. If you’re facing constant repair, it might be more cost-effective to get a whole new system.

The primary thing you’ll want to consider is the size of your household. A traditional 60 gallon tank is good for a 2-3 person household, but more people will demand larger holding tanks. You’ll also want to consider the first-hour rating of a water heater: how much hot water the unit will provide in an hour’s time? A poor FHR will make a high capacity tank meaningless.