Water Heaters
Most people are familiar with water heaters, which are one of the most common heating systems installed in homes and businesses throughout the country. In fact, water heaters are so prevalent that they are often overlooked as a critical component of your home.
At least until they break. There’s nothing like a cold shower to remind you of how important a properly-running water heater truly is.
At AMS, we are a leader in Spokane water heater installation. We have installed thousands of water heaters in homes across Washington and Idaho, and we take pride in being one of the most efficient and trusted leaders in our industry.
How a Water Heater Works
A water heater is a fairly simple system. Your standard traditional water heater uses a fuel source (usually electricity or gas) to heat cold water to a specified temperature and then store that heated water in a large insulated tank. As the heated water is used–for showers, baths, cleaning clothes and dishes, etc.–the heated water is dispersed, new cold water enters the tank and is heated to the specified temperature once again.
Spokane Water Heater Installation: Two Most Important Factors
While a traditional water heater works in the same fashion across the board, it does come in varying shapes and sizes. This leads to two critical factors: a water heater’s storage capacity and its recovery rate.
- The storage capacity is how much heated water the tank can hold.
- The recovery rate is the number of gallons the unit can heat to 100 degrees Fahrenheit in one hour.
A larger tank can obviously disperse more heated water before it needs recover, but the recovery rate will take longer. A smaller tank will not be able to unload as much heated water at once, but its recovery rate will be shorter.
Tankless Water Heater
Another option is the tankless water heater. A tankless water heater is, as its name implies, a water heating system that does not have a tank and thus does not store heated water. It is a much smaller electrical system that superheats water as the cold water passes through the system.
Initially, tankless water heaters were hailed as a significant breakthrough. Less space. “Instantaneous” hot water. Major savings on monthly energy bills. Reality, however, has been a bit unkind to tankless water heaters. Many homeowners have found tankless water heaters to be inconsistent, delivering warm water, followed by cold water, before finally ending with hot water. Actual monthly savings are often less than predicted, and high water demands from multi-tasking (showers and dishwashers running at the same time) often overload a tankless system.
Even so, there are definitely some homeowners who have found that a tankless water heater meets their needs better than a traditional unit. While upfront costs are high, tankless units are designed to last for as long as 30 years, giving homeowners a long period of time in which to recoup their investment.
At AMS, we will work with you to thoroughly evaluate the needs of your home and help you determine exactly which Spokane water heater installation will work best for you.