Water heaters are a staple in any home. Whether you enjoy a warm shower or sinking into freshly washed sheets, your water heater is responsible for a lot of your daily comforts.

When your water heater fails or starts leaking, it’s time for replacement. A professional plumber can help you decide on a new model and install it correctly.

Heater Size

A Water Heater Replacement is a crucial part of your home’s energy efficiency, and its sizing determines how much hot water it can provide. The wrong size can lead to less sustainable water heating and higher-than-necessary energy bills.

The ideal size for a tank water heater is determined by a number of factors, including the number of people living in the home and peak water usage. For instance, a family of four might take several showers, run the dishwasher and wash laundry in an average day, totaling 100 gallons of hot water or more.

Identifying these factors can help you establish a benchmark for your home. For example, consider how long a typical shower is and how often back-to-back or simultaneous showers are taken. It’s also important to think about other appliances that use hot water, such as the washing machine and dishwasher.

Fuel Type

Water heaters run on a variety of fuel types, including electric and gas. Some also use fuel oil, but these are rare in mobile homes.

There are several options for fuel at the pump, including regular, mid-grade and premium gasoline. Choosing the right fuel type for your car is essential to driving efficiently and safely.

Typically, vehicles need a higher octane rating to provide a more efficient and powerful burn. The octane level is determined by the vehicle’s manufacturer.

A fuel that’s made from renewable resources such as corn is called ethanol. It can be mixed with gasoline in a proportion, usually 10 or 15 percent.

Ethanol can cause problems for some engines, so make sure to read your owner’s manual before using it.

Some gas stations sell a fuel called “recreational fuel” or REC-90, which is 90-octane non-ethanol. It’s a good choice for small engines, such as lawnmowers and snow blowers, but it may damage marine equipment.

Energy Efficiency

When you’re shopping for a new water heater, you’ll want to find one that’s energy efficient. This will save you money in the long run and improve your environmental impact.

The World Energy Council defines energy efficiency as “all changes that result in a reduction in the energy used for a given energy service or level of activity”—including technological improvements, better organization and management, and improved economic efficiency in a sector (e.g., overall gains in productivity).

When choosing a gas-fired water heater, look for models that have sealed combustion or power venting to completely separate house air from combustion gases and reduce cycling losses. Typically, these systems include a two-pipe system with a fan to pull combustion air through the unit and exhaust combustion gases through a side-of-the-house vent. These models are less expensive to operate than a standard gas-fired water heater that uses a pilot light and are more energy efficient. They can also reduce safety concerns for you and your family.

Warranty

Water heaters are one of the most important systems in a home, and they need to be maintained and replaced when they become faulty. Replacing a water heater can be expensive, but a warranty plan can make the process much more affordable.

Most warranties cover the inner tank, heat exchanger, and parts of the water heater for a set period of time. However, they often have a number of limitations such as limiting the amount covered or how the product is used.

If you’re considering buying a new water heater, it’s important to compare warranties from several different manufacturers. Each manufacturer offers a different warranty that may differ in terms of length, coverage, and transferability.