Gas water heater versus electric water heater

Water is the second largest expense in our homes. This requires picking of the right water heater for your homes, which caters not only energy efficiency but also comfort. One of the choices homemakers face when they have to select a new water heater for their homes is which type of water heater should they buy. The top rated tankless water heaters are gas or electric. When you select a water heater, you must ensure that it is energy efficient and that it provides sufficient quantity of hot water for your household needs.

Factors to consider before choosing a water heater

When you are faced with the decision of buying a new water heater, and you cannot decide whether to buy the gas or electric water heater, you need to keep a few things in mind. First of all, you must decide how much water does your family need. For instance, a family of four might take showers, wash dishes, laundry, etc. in one day. That would sum up to approximately 100 gallons. But that does not mean the water heater would be of a 100-gallon capacity.

Comparison between gas and electric water heaters

The gas water heater, as the name suggest, derives the heat from the fuels like natural gas and uses it to heat water whereas, in electric water heaters, the electric resistance coils are used to heat water.

Efficiency

The efficiency of electric water heaters is more than that of gas water heater, but the costs of electricity increase the overall running cost for an electric water heater. Gas water heaters have a faster recovery rate in comparison to electric water heaters, and that makes them a better and convenient option for large families.

Cost

The gas heaters typically cost $300-$600 whereas the electric water heaters typically cost $250-$500. Electric water heaters can be safer than a gas heater because the chances of damage due to a gas leak is much more than electrocution due to faulty wiring to the tank. More space in the installation is taken by gas water heaters because they need ventilation from top and sides and thus cannot be installed in small spaces or closets.

Installation

Electric water heaters, on the other hand, can be installed in confined spaces. Since electric water heaters involve usage and heating up of fewer parts, so they last longer than the gas heaters. While gas heaters can work even in power outage, electric heaters cannot. Electric water heaters are more energy efficient than gas water heaters. However, the savings in energy consumption are lessened owing to the higher costs of electricity in comparison to gas.

Keeping these comparison factors in mind, choose or replace your electric heater wisely and lower your energy costs with an energy efficient water…