Are You Purchasing a New Water Heater?
Things To Consider To Help You Choose the Right One
It’s not an appliance people think about a lot, especially when it’s working well, but your water heater works hard for your Sullivan County home. You rely on it to supply your household with all the hot water you and your family need for bathing, laundry, washing the dishes, and more. And the bigger your household, the more hot water it needs. Hot water heaters are important.
Is It Time to Replace Your Water Heater?
When a water heater fails, it can cause thousands of dollars in damage. You want to replace yours long before that happens. The good news is that there are some warning signs to look out for. Here are a few telltale signs that your water heater isn’t going to last much longer:
- Leaks: If there’s water under your tank or it’s producing rusty water, that’s a sign of corrosion.
- Higher energy bills: If your usage isn’t increasing and fuel prices haven’t gone up, an increase in your energy bills may mean your water heater is losing efficiency.
- Hard water: If you start to notice white stains on your silverware or glassware, you may have a lime build-up in your tank. That will reduce its efficiency and shorten its longevity.
- Odd sounds: Sediment in your water heater can cause strange noises and will eventually lead to expensive repairs or premature replacement if not addressed.
- Age: A well-maintained water heater with a storage tank will last about 10 years. After that, replacement is usually wiser than spending more on repairs.
Purchasing a New Water Heater
If it’s time to purchase a new water heater for your Sullivan County home, there are some important things to know and consider as you compare each type of heater.
Types of Water Heaters:
- Conventional/Storage water heaters: They have a tank that stores and keeps water hot until it’s used. They cost less to purchase/install than tankless water heaters, but they’re less efficient. So your energy bills will be higher.
- Tankless water heaters: A highly efficient option, they heat water on-demand and provide and endless supply of hot water. This means there’s no waiting for water to heat up and no wasted energy reheating water that has cooled down in the tank. Tankless water heaters also take up less space and last twice as long as conventional water heaters.
- Indirect water heaters: They use your home’s heating system to heat your water. They’re quite efficient, especially during the cooler months when your heating system is running. However, because they must be integrated with your home’s heating system, installation is more expensive than with conventional or tankless water heaters.
There are additional things to consider when purchasing a water heater:
- What type of fuel will you use (oil, gas, or electricity)? Your choice will affect the cost of installation and operation.
- What size water heater do you need?
- How efficient is it? The size of heater you choose, the heater’s efficiency rating, and how well the water heater is installed and maintained will affect its efficiency. That in turn will affect how much you pay to run your water heater. All the more reason to choose the pros at Black Bear when it comes time to install, maintain, or repair your new water heater.
- How much will it really cost? In addition to the cost of the unit and the cost to install it, you should consider how much it will cost to maintain and operate your water heater as well as how long it will last before it needs to be replaced.
Whenever you buy a new water heater and whatever type you choose, the plumbing experts at Black Bear can install it for you. They can also provide maintenance and repair services to keep it in prime working condition.
Black Bear Is Here for You
Black Bear’s plumbing experts install and repair water heaters in northern Orange County, Sullivan County, and eastern Ulster County. To see if your New York neighborhood is in our service area, enter your ZIP Code here.
Ready to install a new water heater? Contact Black Bear today. Your comfort is our priority!