Different Types Of Hot Water Tanks

Home renovations and upgrades can make your house feel like new! However, that is not the case with your hot water tank. Its a utilitarian part of your homes mechanical systems. If you're looking to upgrade or replace your water heater anytime soon, decide on a tank or tankless system and check out these contenders for your utility closet:

The standard type of a water heater, a tank water heater, will hold your water at a certain temperature to be piped out as needed; this can be done with electricity or gas. The size, or number of gallons, you require depends on how many people living in your home, how often you run a shower, laundry, dishwasher, and any other hot water consuming activities. Another consideration is what system you already have set in place as installing a heater of the same system as your current is much easier than converting from electric to gas or vice versa.

Rheem Performance Standard 40 Gallon Electric Heater

The 40 gallon Rheem Performance Standard electric heater will do well for smaller homes with average water needs, using its dual copper heating elements to delivery 54 gallons of hot water in the first hour of use. The electric junction box is located above the heating elements for ease of installation, and it comes with a 6 year warranty. Built-in safety controls prevent the unit from overheating or overfilling. For homes requiring a higher amount of hot water at the ready, check out the larger capacity Performance Standard electric heaters.

Available at Home Depot from $329.00

Rheem Performance Atmospheric 40 Gallon Natural Gas Water Heater

For those out there who have a gas water heater set up, Rheem is there for you as well. The Performance Atmospheric 40 gallon packs all the punch of its electrical equivalent, with the 6 year warranty as well. This gas version comes with a diagnostic gas control valve to allow you to install easy and monitor the unit. The burner is designed to be ecologically friendly with low emissions and has an easy start button to light it; no matches required. This unit requires almost no maintenance as well.

Available at Rheem through a local contractor

EcoSmart ECO 11 Tankless Electric Water Heater

Let's think small and efficient. Enter, the ECO 11 tankless heater. Tankless heaters take up significantly less space in your home and instead of storing hot water they heat water on demand as you need it, greatly reducing your water heating costs. While they sometimes require a retrofit on your electrical system and the temperatures projected depend on incoming water temperature as well, this model can heat up to between 1.3 and 3.1 gallons of water per minute depending on inlet water temperature. The ECO 11 is considered a “whole home” model of tankless heater, allowing you to have a shower and run the tap at the same time. This little workhorse also comes with a lifetime limited warranty for residential use, showing EcoSmart stands behind their product.

Available at homedepot.com,  walmart.com