Understand your home water heater Plumbing

Your home water heater is essentially a big tank that holds water. it takes in cold water through an inlet, mechanisms on the water heater then allows the water in the tank to be heated, this heated water then goes through an outlet on the tank, and supplies water to the various fixtures in your Bathroom, Kitchen, etc. This is the reason you are able to take a warm shower in a cold winter day. Imagine what life would be without hot water. Water heaters come in different variations, some are electric and are called electric water heaters and some are gas water heaters. An electric hot water heater has 2 heating elements located inside the water tank that are responsible for heating the water, where as a gas water heater has a burner that heats up the water. Hot water heaters also come in different sizes. Your family size would be a good determinant of which size tank is better for you. The bigger your family size the larger the tank you should consider using. 40 gallon tanks would generally be sufficient for a family of 4.

An electric water heater generally cost less than purchasing a gas water heater , but a gas water heater might be more economical to operate. Each type of water heater has a different setup requirement. Installing a gas water heater requires installing a vent and combustion air source among other things. These installations would need approvals from your local municipality building department. Along with a gas and electric tank water heaters, are tankless water heaters. Similar to the tanked water heaters, it is a good idea to understand your tankless water heater plumbing. Tankless water heaters cost more the tanked water heaters to purchase but because they only heat water when needed and do not keep use a tank to keep heated water , they might offer better cost saving in the long run. It is a good idea to occasionally inspect your hot water heater to ensure it's proper functioning. If you are unfamiliar with your water heater plumbing, you could find a local water heater repair contractor to do the inspection for you. Water heaters are generally believe to have a live span of about 10 years after which you might need a new water heater installation. (See estimated service cost for a water heater service in your city)