Your home water heater is designed to provide hot water for washing clothes, showering and other household tasks. Upgrading your current water heater to a new, energy-efficient model can save you money while ensuring that you and your family have plenty of hot water for all your daily activities.
At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, our skilled service technicians can provide you with the best recommendations for replacing your water heater with a money-saving new system that will deliver the right amount of hot water to suit your needs. We can help you find the most energy-efficient options for water heaters for you and your family in the Orlando, Florida area.
What Types of Water Heaters Are Available?
Depending on the configuration of your property and your hot water requirements, you can choose from a variety of options when upgrading or replacing your water heater in Orlando. Some of the most popular options include storage or tank water heaters, tankless water heaters, heat pump water heating systems, indirect water heaters and solar-powered systems:
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Storage Water Heaters
Also known as tank water heaters, storage water heating systems deliver reliable amounts of hot water that are replenished throughout the day and night. A conventional storage water heater can sometimes run out of preheated water. This situation can result in the familiar cold shower experience when not enough hot water is available to meet current needs.
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Tankless Water Heaters
On-demand tankless systems produce hot water by heating it directly when it is called for anywhere in your home. A tankless system offers improved energy efficiency compared with tank-style water heaters because it heats only the water you need when you need it. By contrast, tank systems must continually reheat water as it cools inside the storage tank, which can add up to higher utility bills for your family.
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Heat Pump Water Heaters
Much like HVAC heat pumps, a heat pump water heater operates on electricity and offers exceptional energy efficiency for most Florida homes. Rather than heating water directly, heat pump systems extract heat from outside air and amplify it to heat water more efficiently. Over the life of a heat pump water heating system, you could realize thousands of dollars in savings on utility bills.
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Indirect Water Heaters
Available in tankless and in storage tank configurations, an indirect water heater uses the energy already dedicated to heat and cool your home to heat water. These systems can be extremely energy efficient in colder climates where furnaces and heating systems run frequently. For homes located in Orlando and other warm climates, however, indirect water heating systems are not usually a practical or energy-efficient choice.
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Solar Water Heaters
A solar water heater can take advantage of Florida sunshine to heat water for your Orlando home. Direct circulation systems are the most popular configuration for solar water heaters in our area.
When choosing your new water heater, you should consider the overall cost of operation as well as the initial cost of purchase and installation. This can help you determine the best options for your needs now and in the future.
Considerations When Choosing a Water Heater
A few factors will play a role in determining which type of water heater is best for your needs:
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Size
Choosing a system that is correctly sized to meet the needs of your family will eliminate issues with lack of hot water for laundry, showers and dishwashers. In general, a family of four will require a 50 to 75-gallon tank water heater. Tankless water heaters are rated in gallons per minute (GPM), a measure of how much hot water these systems can produce. The same family of four will typically require 8 to 10 GPM to ensure adequate hot water for all their needs. Your local plumber can provide you with more accurate estimates of your water heater requirements to help you make the right choice for your Orlando home.
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Fuel Type
From the rays of the sun to propane, natural gas, fuel oil and electricity, you can select from many different fuel types to power your home water heater. Geothermal water heaters may also be a practical choice for homeowners who already have a geothermal heat pump system for their homes.
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Energy Efficiency
The U.S. Department of Energy and ENERGY STAR rate water heaters by determining the estimated yearly energy cost and use for specific models. This can help you to predict your energy expenditures more accurately and to select the best and most efficient water heater for your specific set of needs.
Your plumber will discuss the costs of each type of water heater with you during the decision-making process. If additional services are required to install your new water heater, we will inform you to make sure you understand all the fees and code requirements associated with your new water heater installation.
Which Water Heater Types Are Most Efficient?
For homes and families in Orlando, heat pump water heaters offer an outstanding combination of reliable hot water and lower energy bills. Solar water heaters are another highly efficient option for our area and can deliver reliable service for you and your family. Tank water heaters with a high ENERGY STAR rating can also be a cost-effective and practical choice for some homeowners, especially if budgetary constraints are a concern.
The friendly and courteous professional plumbers at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing can help you find the best water heater for your needs in Orlando, Florida. We offer a full and extensive lineup of plumbing services that include drain cleaning and unclogging, faucet, pipe and fixture repairs, sewer line replacements, sump pump services and installation and service for all types of water heaters. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is dedicated to the highest standards of excellence in the plumbing industry. We are here to help you with all your plumbing needs now and in the future.