Tips For Buying A Water Heater

Although many San Diego homeowners buy water heaters based only on the size of the storage tank, the first-hour rating (FHR), provided on the Energy Guide label, is actually more important. The FHR is a measure of how much hot water the heater will deliver during a busy hour. A larger tank doesn’t necessarily mean a higher FHR. When you buy a water heater, estimate your household’s peak-hour demand and look for a unit with an FHR in that range.

• If you live in a moderate climate (i.e., with relatively low heating loads), consider a more efficient heat-pump water heater (HPWH). Although an HPWH may have a high initial cost, it can save up to 50 percent of your water heating bill.
• For energy efficiency as well as safety, when buying gas- or oil-fired water heaters look for units with sealed combustion or power venting to avoid back-drafting of combustion gases into the home.
• Everything else being equal, select a water heater with the highest energy factor (EF), the measure of a water heater’s efficiency. EF is based on recovery efficiency, standby losses, and cycling losses. The higher the EF, the more efficient the water heater. Electric-resistance water heaters have an EF ranging from 0.7 to 0.95; gas water heaters from 0.5 to 0.6, with a few high-efficiency models at around 0.8; oil water heaters from 0.7 to 0.85; and heat-pump water heaters from 1.5 to 2.0.
• Whenever possible, do not install the water heater in an unheated basement. Also try to minimize the length of the pipes that must be run to your bathroom and kitchen.
• Extended warranties and new energy-efficient designs are features to look for when shopping for a water heater. Many water heaters have eight- to 10-year warranties and some are warranted not to leak for as long as you own your home.

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