Appliance Buying Guide: Water Heaters

Article From HouseLogic.com


By: Joe Bousquin


Published: June 14, 2010


When it's time to replace your water heater, you'll find a wide array of high-efficiency models offering big energy savings.

Since hot water accounts for as much as 25% of your home's energy use, when your water heater dies, the replacement you choose will have a big impact on your monthly bills. New technologies make many of today's models far more energy efficient than that old tank you're getting rid of. Some of the greenest options are tankless units that heat water on demand, but even conventional water heaters--the classic metal cylinders that are by far the most popular in the U.S.--have gotten less expensive to operate.

Water heater basics
Most households need a 50-gallon tank, according to Jeff Haney, a product manager at manufacturer Rheem. That'll cost $900 to $2,000, installed, depending on which model you choose. Your plumber will put it where the old tank was, with the cold water supply pipe attached at the bottom of the tank and a hot water outlet pipe on top.



Inside the tank, a thermostat constantly assesses the water temperature and fires up a heating mechanism when it falls below the desired setting (120 degrees is standard). When you turn on a hot water tap, heated water flows from the tank and gets replaced by more cold water from the supply line below.



To do this work, water heaters use electricity, oil, or natural gas. Choosing a new water heater that uses the same fuel type as your old unit is the easiest way to keep replacement costs down, says contractor Andy Wargo of Marcellus, N.Y.

What to look for on the label
Within each fuel type, you'll find a range of models and price points. To compare, look for these key differences, marked right on the label:

First Hour Rating is a measure of how many gallons the unit can produce in one hour (which is more than its tank capacity since it starts making more hot water as soon as you draw some out). With the average shower using 20 gallons of water, a shave using a couple more, and washing breakfast dishes another 5 to 10, a busy family might need an FHR of 60 to 70 gallons to handle the morning rush. Your plumber can help you analyze your needs.



Energy Factor tells you how efficiently the unit operates. The higher the number, the more efficient the unit, and the less it will cost to run. In 2010, the highest EF units qualify for a 30% federal tax credit up to $1,500 for the purchase price and installation costs--as well as state credits and local utility rebates.

Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency for local details.



Here's a breakdown of your basic water heater options from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy:

Water Heater Type	Installed Cost	Yearly Energy Cost	Life (years)	Total Cost (over 13 Years)
Conventional gas	$850	$350	13	$5,394
High-efficiency gas	$1,025	$323	13	$5,220
Conventional electric	$750	$463	13	$6,769
High-efficiency electric	$820	$439	13	$6,528
Conventional oil [there are no high-efficiency oil options at this time]	$1,100	$230	8	$4,777

High-efficiency options
Three types of tank heaters are eligible for the federal tax credit: high-efficiency gas, gas condensing, and electric heat pumps. Ask for a Manufacturers Certification Statement from your retailer. If it doesn't provide one, the model doesn't qualify.



High-efficiency gas storage: These are just like standard gas water heaters, but with more efficient burners, better insulation, and other upgrades that make them about 7.5% more efficient, saving the average household about $30 a year. Costs for high-efficiency gas tank water heaters start around $850 (about $175 more than a conventional gas tank unit), plus around $200 for installation (the same as a conventional unit). As long as it has an EF rating of 0.82 or higher, it qualifies for a 30% tax credit in 2010.



Gas condensing: To achieve even higher efficiency, these systems vent the exhaust from the gas burner back through a closed system of coils inside the tank, allowing the water to absorb heat that would otherwise escape up the chimney, explains Potomac, Md., contractor Jay Irwin. That makes them about a third more efficient than conventional tanks, for savings of about $100 a year for a typical household. Energy Star models, which will hit the market in mid-2010, have an EF of at least 0.8 and qualify for the 30% tax credit in 2010.



Gas condensing units are expensive--around $1,600. And because they produce condensation as the exhaust cools, they need a special drain to discharge the runoff, pushing installation costs up to around $400.



Electric heat pumps: Heat-pump models work like air conditioners, by pulling heat out of the surrounding air. But rather than exhausting the heat outside like an air conditioner, they concentrate it and pump it into the water tank. As a result, they use 55% less energy than traditional electric water heaters and qualify for the tax credit in 2010 if they have a minimum EF rating of 2.0. Since these utilize ambient heat in the air, they produce the biggest year-round energy savings in hot climates.



You'll pay around $1,400, or three times what a conventional electric unit costs, but you could save $300 a year in energy costs, meaning it will pay for itself in about three years. Throw in the 30% federal tax credit, or $420, and you'll recoup your investment even faster.



Joe Bousquin's work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger's Personal Finance and Men's Journal. His 80-year-old home in Sacramento, Calif., has a conventional gas-fired water heater--for now.

Reprinted from HouseLogic (houselogic.com) with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (R).Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.