There's a lot of debates these days about whether gas or electric is the best choice for a variety of appliances. Gas or electric car? Gas or electric kitchen stove? Gas or electric furnace? Gas or electric water heater?
When deciding whether a gas water heater vs an electric water heater installation in Springfield Missouri makes the most sense for your family, you first need to understand what are the differences? What are the benefits and the drawbacks of each? Knowing these answers can have a significant impact on your plumbing costs.
Luckily you have a professional plumbing company in Springfield, Missouri that you can trust to always steer you in the right direction with your water heater. Does your water heater need to be repaired or replaced? Should it be gas or electric? Should you go with a traditional or a tankless water heater? We're here to provide all your plumbing answers.
For starters, consider the costs of installation. It tends to cost more to install a gas water heater than an electric one. This doesn’t, however, necessarily translate into an overall higher cost.
While the upfront cost for installation is higher for a gas water heater, they also tend to cost less to actually operate—almost 33 percent less over a year’s time. Basically, you’ll make up the higher installation cost of a gas water heater with a lower yearly operating cost.
Efficiency-wise, electric water heaters usually win out. More electric energy is focused on the heating process, whereas with gas, some of the heat tends to escape. This is, however, starting to change with more energy-efficient gas water heaters being manufactured.
Naturally, both gas and electric water heaters have to work harder to heat up water in the colder months. After all, the colder the water is, the longer it takes to heat. Gas water heaters perform much better than their electric counterparts when it comes to heating colder water.
When it comes to ease of operation, electric water heaters are much simpler to manage. For example, you don’t have to worry about dealing with turning on the gas, a pilot light going out, potential carbon monoxide issues or other such inconveniences.
Both electric and gas water heaters have their advantages and disadvantages. There are other options to consider as well such as tankless water heaters or recirculating hot water pumps, so you'll always have hot water.
United Plumbing is here to help you decide what makes the most sense for your family. We'll explain what we'd do if it were our home and why. Whether you choose electric or gas water heater installation, United Plumbing has the experience to install, maintain, and repair your water heater of choice whenever the need arises.