Are you preparing to have a new hot water heater installed in your home? You may be wondering what makes a high end water heater and if it is worth it. Consider these 3 things when making your selection for a water heater installation.
Storage Tank
The biggest difference between water heater models will be if it has a storage tank or not. Storage tank models are what is most traditional and what homeowners are used to, and they work by heating water that is stored in a tank where it's ready to be used. Meanwhile, tankless model is considered a high end version of a hot water heater, and it is going to heat the water up on demand using heating coils. No energy is wasted by heating hot water that is not needed at the time, which can cut down on your energy bills.
Energy Source
Most hot water heaters will come in electric and gas powered models. You'll typically find that the gas powered model is more expensive and cheaper to run over time, while the electric powered model is just the opposite. Of course, energy costs may vary based on where you live, so it is worth looking into what is really the cheaper long term solution.
A solar powered water heater is going to be a high end water, but is a lot more expensive. This is due to the solar panels and battery that are required to run your hot water heater. The installation is also much more complicated, which increases the installation costs. That said, there can be significant cost savings over time, since you are not paying for the energy source to heat the hot water in your home. Many homeowners pick a solar powered hot water heater due to it simply being the more green solution and not necessarily the most affordable.
WiFi Connectability
It is possible to get a water heater that has WiFi built into it. If you were wondering why this may even be necessary, think of it like having a WiFi connected thermostat. You will have control over the unit in terms of making adjustments over the temperature of the water, and can even schedule down time by shutting off the energy source while you are away on vacation. This can definitely make a traditional storage tank more affordable over time due to having more control over when you are using energy to heat the water.