When shopping for tankless water heaters, the experts at ShowerInsider suggest that you first try to understand the various options available in the market, consider the pros and cons of each of the available options, then decide on which of the options best matches your needs.
Taking into consideration the fact that the selection and comparison phase of the purchase can be significantly overwhelming and time-consuming, we have decided to break down this question which is one of the most common ones faced by buyers.
While most Americans today are shifting from traditional water heaters to tankless water heaters, most buyers find the process of selecting between electric powered and gas-fueled tankless water heaters overwhelming. More overwhelming is the mental calculations they have to undergo to ensure that they save more money either on monthly energy bills or gas usage bills.
To put things in clear perspective, both the gas-fueled and electrically powered water heaters are more efficient compared to the traditional water heater, however, most homeowners are on the lookout for the best option which guarantees more value for less running cost, to establish this, below are some of the most important information you should become familiar with.
The Gas-Fueled Tankless Water Heater
The gas-fueled tankless water heaters rely solely on gas for its running. When you delve deeper into the selection process, you will soon find that the gas-fueled water heater is of two types, the model that makes use of natural gas and another that makes use of propane gas.
Both brothers are quite similar in appearance and design with the only distinguishing factor being the type of gas they run on. Most manufacturers today, however, have chosen to offer both options into the market to suit the needs of their customer base.
The decision to make between these two is however based on how accessible the fuel is to you.
The Electric Tankless Water Heaters
As the name suggests and implies, the electric tankless water heater relies solely on the use of electricity to power the unit and to deliver on-demand hot water to users. The major difference between the gas-fueled and electric-powered tankless water heater lies in the source of energy.
The Gas-Fueled vs. Electric Tankless Water Heaters
When choosing between these two options, there are some factors which you need to put into perspective as they will form the basis for which the final decision is arrived at.
- Power Option
The power option is quite straightforward. If you are a homeowner who prefers an electrically powered system, the chances are high that you will find the electric tankless water heater most suitable for your needs. On the other hand, if you have access to natural gas or propane gas, chances are high that the best choice of tankless water heater is the gas-powered unit.
It is however worthy of note that gas is a lot cheaper compared to electricity and this may form the major basis of your choice.
- Initial Cost
While gas may be cheaper, the electric tankless water heater is considered to be cheaper compared to the gas-fueled tankless water heater. A good-sized electric tankless water heater costs about $500 while the gas-fueled water heater counterpart can cost between $1,000 to $1,200.
- Installation Cost
The installation cost of both units depends on several factors which may vary from home to home. In the case of a custom-built house, you may experience lowered expenses like the home must have been built, designed and tailored to support the installation of the desired type of tankless water heater. However, for a traditional home, you are bound to incur additional charges during installation.
The Gas fueled tankless water heater installation cost is higher compared to the electric counterpart if factors like ventilation requirement among other things are factored into the equation. In some cases, the high installation cost and the high initial cost of purchase may end up being a deal breaker for most buyers, leading them to choose the much cheaper electric tankless water heater.
- Operating cost
As stated earlier, the gas-fueled water heaters are better when it comes to operating cost and this is because gas is cheaper. However, depending on usage, the electric water heater may also be considered efficient, especially as the tankless water heater requires much less energy compared to the traditional unit.
- Maintenance
Both variants of the tankless water heaters require minimal maintenance cost and practices thus making it a better option.
- Environmental impacts
The electrically powered tankless water heater does not emit poisonous gases into the atmosphere thus making it more environmentally friendly compared to the gas-fueled unit which has been found to emit carbon (iv) oxide among other gases.
