Presently there are countless types and models of water heaters available in the market. What will be the best choice for your specific needs? Before you make any decisions, consider the pros and cons of the most wide-spread types of water heaters. The size of your family, local utilities and space available at your home are all determining factors in choosing the right water heater for your needs. In this article we will look at storage (tank), tankless and hybrid water heaters.

Storage tank water heaters are the most conventional type and a great choice to buy. These water heaters have an insulated tank in which water is heated and kept until it is needed. They are offered in electric, natural gas and liquid propane (LP) models. Natural gas and LP water heaters typically consume less energy, consequently they are less expensive to manage than electric models of the same size.

Although storage tank water heaters have been in use for more than seven decades, in the last five years they have undergone considerable changes and improvements. Contemporary models are much more energy-efficient than outdated models, including the one that might be present at your home today.

Tankless water heaters apply a high-fire burner to rapidly raise the temperature of water passing through the copper heat exchanger. It heats the water on a demand for hot water. And since there is no storage tank, the standby heat losses (the energy used to keep the water hot in the tank) are averted. This fact helps you to save some money on future heating bills.

Depending on the electric or gas-fired element that is heating the water, tankless water heaters can be electric or gas-fired. The tankless technology is not a novelty in the today’s market, having been applied for about 30 years in other parts of the world.

A hybrid water heater merges storage tank and tankless technology in one type. A hybrid unit combines constant hot water capabilities by means of high efficiency and the possibility to use several hot water-utilizing appliances at the same time. Hybrid units offer the best operation since they contain the positive features of both tank and tankless water heaters.

Hybrid units offer:

1. Continuous hot water no matter how many members of your family take showers.
2. A reserve of hot water when several appliances are used simultaneously.
3. When multiple appliances are operating, there are no drops in water temperature.

Hybrid technology will become a perfect option for owners of larger homes and extended families with multiple bathrooms and water-utilizing appliances. Also if you are a lover of hot water, hybrid unit will serve your needs completely, providing hot water 24/7.

There are other types of water heaters to choose from and to find out more about options available and suitable for your specific requirements, contact our plumbing professionals at Norwalk Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning.