Advantages and disadvantages of electric water heaters

 

Heating water in your home requires a lot of electricity. In fact, about 12 percent of the average home's energy consumption is spent heating water. How much energy your own water heater uses depends not only on how much hot water you use, but also on the type of water heater you install. So when it's time to install a new water heater in your home, it's important to compare several options before making a final purchase decision.

Electric water heaters: what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Electric water heaters are one of the most popular options for home water heating. However, it can be difficult to know the pros and cons of installing this type of water heater compared to gas options. Here are some of the main advantages and disadvantages of an electric water heater:

Advantages and disadvantages of electric water heaters

Per	Disadvantages
Low upfront costs	Relatively slow heating time
Efficient energy use	Vulnerable to power outages
Safe in operation	High operating costs

Advantages of electric water heaters

There are many reasons why households should consider installing electric water heaters instead of gas water heaters. Here are some of the biggest advantages electric water heaters have over the competition:

Lower acquisition costs

Of all the water heaters currently available on the market, an electric water heater is probably the cheapest option when it comes to purchase price.

Importantly, costs depend largely on the size and type of water heater, regardless of the fuel used. For example, traditional tank-based water heaters are less expensive, while tankless, on-demand water systems tend to be more expensive to purchase. In general, the price difference between water heater types is largely due to installation costs.

Gas water heaters require additional piping and a new ventilation system to remove the exhaust fumes from the combustion process. Electric water heaters, on the other hand, do not require this additional infrastructure in the home, so the installation process is easier and faster. There is a chance that your home may need electrical upgrades before installing an electric water heater, which would make the installation process more expensive; however, such upgrades are uncommon when installing an electric water heater.

efficiency

The best way to compare the efficiency of different water heaters is by looking at their respective energy factors (EF). This number rates how efficiently a water heater produces hot water and indicates how much fuel or electricity is needed to heat the water. With the EF numbers in hand, comparing the efficiency of each type of water heater is easy: higher efficiency water heaters have higher EF numbers.

In the battle between gas and electric water heaters, electric water heaters are the winners in terms of efficiency. Traditional gas water heaters typically have EF ratings between 0.5 and 0.7, while electric water heaters can have EF ratings above 0.9. Generally, the greatest energy loss in gas water heaters occurs during the venting process, which does not occur in electric water heaters.

Security

Both electric and gas-powered water heaters are safe solutions for heating your water. However, like any gasoline-powered appliance, water heaters that run on propane or natural gas run the risk of gas leaks. You can reduce these risks by properly maintaining and inspecting your gas-powered water heater.

Although electrical appliances have their own safety concerns, the likelihood of a gas leak is higher than that of an electrical safety problem with a water heater.

availability

Almost every home is connected to the electrical grid, meaning it has a source of electricity available at all times (except during a power outage). This means that virtually every home can effectively use an electric water heater.

On the other hand, if you want to install a gas water heater, you will need to make sure your home is connected to a natural gas line or has a propane source. Otherwise, these upgrades to install a gas water heater can be costly.

Disadvantages of electric water heaters

Electric water heaters are not the best solution for every home. Here are some of the disadvantages of using an electric water heater:

heating time and recovery rates

Do you spend a lot of time waiting for your shower water to heat up? With electric water heaters, this process takes even longer than with a gas water heater. This is because the combustion process of gasoline produces heat faster (sometimes even twice as fast) than an electric heater.

Gas water heaters have a higher recovery rate (that is, the amount of water the unit can heat to a given temperature in a given period of time). For larger households with higher hot water needs, gas water heaters may be a necessity. On the other hand, households with only a few members do not need the same recovery rate that gas water heaters provide.

power outages

If the power goes out due to a storm or other event, you won't have access to hot water with an electric water heater. Gas water heaters, on the other hand, can operate even when the power is out.

If this is a primary reason for your decision, it's important to make sure your gas water heater doesn't require electricity to operate. Even if electricity isn't the primary fuel source, some newer gas water heaters use an electric ignition instead of a pilot light. These types of water heaters are also useless in the event of a power outage.

operating costs

Although electric water heaters are more efficient than gas water heaters, you will likely spend less money overall if you heat your water supply with gas. This is due to the cost of the fuel source. Today, natural gas is one of the cheapest sources of energy, and in most cases, the cost of electricity is much higher.

Because the cost of natural gas and electricity varies by region, it's wise to compare the cost of each option before making a final decision on how to heat your water. Some utility companies may offer financial incentives for installing electric water heaters, which can make them a more cost-effective option.

Operating electric water heaters with solar modules

If you're only concerned about running costs when purchasing an electric water heater, you can also combine it with a solar energy system . Investing in solar panels allows you to run your water heater using solar energy instead of purchasing electricity from your utility company. Another benefit of solar panel systems is that you not only save on water heating costs, but you can also dramatically reduce (or potentially eliminate) your overall electric bill.

If you want to know how much you can save by installing solar panels, sign up to the EnergySage Solar Marketplace . You can receive up to seven free solar quotes tailored to your property. If you're switching to an electric water heater in the near future and expect your electricity usage to increase, just note this in your account so the installers can give you a quote based on your anticipated electricity needs.