When it comes to buying a new propane hot water heater, many consumers wish they had some professional advice they could rely on during the actual selection process. Thanks to a reputable San Diego plumber, here are a few tips that will definitely come in handy as you're looking over the many options available to you when replacing your current propane hot water heater or simply installing a new one.

One of the most crucial decisions to be made when shopping for a new propane hot water heater is, of course, whether you want a traditional tank style hot water heater or a new energy efficient tankless design.

Tankless hot water heaters are ideal for consumers in tight living spaces, such as older homes or smaller apartments or condominiums, with limited space available for plumbing fixtures and appliances. This is due to the fact that since the tank component has been eliminated from the design, they take up significantly less space than a traditional model. Tankless propane hot water heaters are also ideal for consumers looking to conserve energy and electrical costs. This is due to the fact that they only produce hot water on demand and do not require the consistent use of electricity to keep a holding tank of water at the optimum temperature. On the downside, there will be some delay when using a tankless propane hot water heater before hot water becomes available. Smaller tankless hot water heaters are also limited by how much hot water they can produce at once, making them less than ideal for larger households. In some situations, a Boston plumber may recommend multiple tankless hot water heaters be installed, improving the amount of hot water available, but in turn increasing equipment cost.

For an Atlanta plumber familiar with larger homes, traditional tank style water heaters are often the appliance of choice. Since the size of the tank can be selected based on the average size of the household, a tank style water heater is almost guaranteed to be able to provide adequate amounts of hot water when needed. If a tank style water heater is the best bet for your situation, there are still ways to help improve the energy efficiency of the fixture. The constant temperature the tank should be holding the water at can be decreased by a few degrees, cutting a significant amount of operating cost. This is especially true in the Summer months when cool showers are in higher demand than hot ones. Proper insulation should also be installed around the tank, further improving the energy efficiency of the unit by reducing the amount of energy needed to keep the water in the holding tank at optimal temperature. Fiberglass blankets are typically the material of choice to accomplish this tank.