What You Should Know About Your Water Heater
Your water heater is one of the most important appliances in your home. Like many things these days, “they don’t make them how they used to.” If you’re lucky enough to have a water heater that’s 15 years old or older, keep an eye on it. A small flood in the garage can be avoided.
We service all brands and styles of water heaters, whether its tank, tankless, or electric. When it comes to new installs however, we have our preferences.
Tank Water Heaters
We install Bradford White tank water heaters in four sizes: 30, 40, 50, and 75 gallon. Each comes with a 6 year warranty which can be easily upgraded to 10 years.
Tankless
Tankless water heaters are becoming quite popular as they take up less space and provide virtually limitless hot water. If you have a big family or a large tub to fill, this might be your best option.
However, with the pros come some cons… they are double the cost in parts and labor, require yearly maintenance, and if the power grid goes offline, you will be without hot water. Even though they are heated with gas, they require electricity since they don’t use a pilot light.
Electric
Not a common choice, but sometimes the situation calls for an electric water heater. For example, if there is no way to vent a water heater properly or there is no natural gas option, electric would be best.
Know How to Turn It Off
Before doing any work or inspection on your water heater, the first thing you need to know is how to turn it off. The water shutoff valve is found above the tank on the right side, or below a tankless on the right side. If you have a gas water heater, twist the dial on the top of the thermostat from ON to OFF. If your water heater is electric, find the circuit breaker box that is connected to your water heater and turn off the breaker.