How to Choose the Right Water Heater for Your Home

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Friday, January 10, 2025 at 5:05am UTC

Plumbing professionals in Johnson City, TN, explain different water heater types.

Johnson City, United States - January 10, 2025 / Marc Francis Plumbing /

Perfect Cases for Each Water Heater Type

Water heaters are among the best modern inventions, and they’ve come a long way from heating water over a fire. While every type of water heater offers plenty of innovation, choosing the right one for your home and lifestyle can make a world of difference. This guide will help you decide which type works best for your needs!

Gas Water Heaters

water heater While gas water heaters aren’t the first choice for as many new builds, they’re still a favorite of many. These appliances use natural gas or propane to heat the water in the tank.

While it may not be worth installing a gas line in a home that doesn’t already have one, gas water heaters are usually cheaper to run over time. They can also be more energy efficient than their electric counterparts and even work when the power goes out.

Because they use riskier fuels, they pose a bigger risk of problems like carbon monoxide poisoning. Having a CO detector in the home is usually enough to catch potential problems, but it’s something to consider when making your final decision.

Gas water heaters also have a shorter lifespan than electric water heaters of similar quality, so those cost savings on fuel may not be worth the sooner replacement costs.

Electric Water Heaters

Electric water heaters are becoming more common and are generally more straightforward. Most new builds have electric water heaters installed, so there’s no need to make accommodations unless you’re switching from a gas water heater.

Electricity poses its own risks, but it’s generally safer than gasoline. Without the risk of a leak, your routine maintenance can focus on simpler issues.

Electric water heaters may be less efficient than similar-quality gas water heaters because they take longer to reheat the water. Electricity is generally more expensive than propane or natural gas, so it can cost more to run over time.

Tankless Gas

water heater After deciding how to power your water heater, consider a tankless model instead of a traditional storage water heater. Although tankless water heaters are relatively new technologies, they already offer many benefits.

Tankless water heaters are not concerned with storing and keeping water at a certain temperature. Instead, they heat it as it passes, meaning you can have an endless hot water supply.

Tankless water heaters can last longer with proper maintenance because they are smaller and not concerned with storing water. They’re also easier to work with because they take up far less space, and you can even install them alongside certain fixtures for faster access or more specialized heating.

Despite all of this, tankless water heaters have a learning curve. Luckily, working alongside professionals lets you hand off all the guesswork to them.

Consider your flow rate and environmental conditions for accurate on-demand heating. If you choose an electric model, you may also need to adjust your electrical panel to accommodate the higher pull while heating.

About Marc Francis Plumbing

Marc Francis Plumbing is dedicated to being right on point with quality (and they’re literally located on Quality Circle). Since opening its doors, every service appointment has focused on customer-first communication, from dealing with emergencies as quickly as possible to being as up-front as possible about pricing. Call them for water heater services in Johnson City, TN!

Contact Information:

Marc Francis Plumbing

1019 Quality Cir
Johnson City, TN 37615
United States

Marc Ciamaichelo
(423) 915-9260
https://www.marcfrancisplumbing.com/