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Upgrading Your Water Heater Or Having A Water Heater Repair? Here’s What You Need To Know | Katy, TX
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Water heaters are one of the most important components of a residential plumbing system. You need hot water on a daily basis to shower, wash your hands, run the dishwasher and wash your clothes. You might be considering upgrading to a newer water heater so you can have access to hot water whenever you need it, but you have to consider things like water heater repair cost. If you’re thinking about upgrading the water heater in your Katy, TX, home, here’s what you should know first.
Electric vs Gas
One tough decision a lot of homeowners have to make when upgrading a water heater is whether to opt for an electric or gas model. While there are benefits to both types of water heaters, there are also a lot of other factors to consider, including water heater repair costs. You also need to consider what kind of water heater you currently have, and whether converting would be a hassle or not.
If you currently have an electric water heater, it’s going to be easy to install another electric model. Converting to gas will require installing gas lines, which creates more work. On the other hand, switching from an electric water heater to a gas model is fairly simple.
As far as water heater repair goes, electric water heaters and gas water heaters are mostly the same. However, there are some additional parts that can fail on a gas water heater, including the gas lines that actually feed the water heater.
If you’re not sure whether a gas or electric water heater is right for your needs, a plumber can give you more advice based on your situation.
Should You Go Tankless?
There have been a handful of trends in the water heater business over the past few decades, but tankless water heaters have made the biggest splash. There are a few things that make tankless water heaters popular: efficiency, convenience, and size. However, tankless water heaters are also a bit more involved when it comes to repairs.
If you want to save money on your monthly energy bill, upgrading to a tankless water heater is a smart choice. Since these water heaters only heat the water you use, they don’t cost you as much money. That means you have more money to spend when it’s time to replace your water heater or call a water heater repair company.
The convenience of tankless water heaters is perhaps the biggest benefit. As long as you invest in a tankless water heater that can put out enough gallons per minute (GPM) of hot water for all your fixtures, you’ll never have to worry about running out of hot water. Since there’s no tank of water that has to heat up, tankless water heaters can deliver hot water instantly at a certain rate, making them an incredibly convenient option.
Point of Use vs Whole House
You might also be considering upgrading from a whole-house water heater to a point-of-use model. Normally, households have a single water heater that delivers hot water to the entire home. While this simplifies water heater repair, there are a lot of inconveniences having one central water heater causes.
For starters, having one water heater means it’s going to take longer for some fixtures to get hot water. Some people even call water heater repair companies because they mistakenly believe their water heater is broken since it takes so long to get hot water to some fixtures. With a point-of-use water heater, you get hot water from a few feet away for each room, so you never have to wait long.
A point-of-use water heater also means using hot water in one room won’t interrupt hot water use in another room. As long as your point-of-use model can handle the fixtures in the room it’s installed in, you’re good to go.
Of course, you’re going to have to pay more for water heater repairs if you invest in several point-of-use water heaters. While this can cost you a little more, it’s worth the convenience for most Katy, TX, homeowners.
Fixing Your Water Heater
The good news about water heater repair is that there are only a few problems a water heater can have. If you suddenly find yourself without hot water or notice inconsistent water temperatures, a plumber can generally fix the problem quickly.
Water heater problems are generally a result of a bad thermostat or a bad heating element. There are two thermostats and two heating elements in every water heater, and the lower one is generally the first to go. If replacing a heating element or thermostat doesn’t fix your problem, there’s a good chance it’s time for a new water heater.
Water Heater Age
At a certain point, there’s not much you can do to keep your water heater running. When the tank starts to corrode and other major problems occur, the best thing you can do is replace your water heater. On average, you can expect a water heater to last about 8 to 12 years before water heater repair is no longer an option. If your water heater has serious problems and is nearing the end of its life, upgrading to something new is always a good idea.
Do It Right
Owning a home means it’s your responsibility to keep the water and electricity on. Knowing how to take care of your water heater and when it’s time to upgrade is a crucial part of this process. Fortunately, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of West Houston can help. If you need your water heater fixed or are considering upgrading to a new water heater for your Katy, TX, home, call us today at (346) 800-3316.
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