One of the most essential appliances in a house, required for comfortable living, is the water heater. They provide hot showers and baths, help clean our dishes, and help wash our laundry. Water heaters are, potentially, the one appliance most people may not be able to live without, not that we would want to try though. For the most part, there are two basic types of water heaters, tank and tankless. Among these are a variety of methods by which they can be fueled, the most common sources being propane gas, natural gas, and electricity. If you are looking for maximum efficiency and wish to be environmentally conscious, propane water heaters are your best option.
What Are Propane Gas Water Heaters?
A propane gas water heater is a device installed in your home that is used to provide hot water for a variety of household needs. Of the two versions of water heater, the model with a tank is the most common.
When the heater has a tank as its primary component, the propane gas being supplied to the water heater is ignited and used to heat a series of burners. These burners, in turn, work to heat the water contained in the tank. Even when not in use, the water in the tank is maintained at a temperature that is high enough to be able to produce a supply of hot water on demand. In essence, the water in the tank is never allowed to cool down completely. Most tanks have some type of circulating pump built into them which keeps the water circulating, helping to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the tank. When you turn on your shower, dishwasher, or washing machine, the hot water is pulled from the tank and routed to the appliance of your choosing. Cold water is then pulled into the tank and heated in the same manner.
In the tankless versions, the method of heating remains essentially the same. Instead of having a supply of hot water waiting, however, the water is heated as it passes over the burner and then delivered to the appliance in operation. The removal of the tank also removes the ability to have a ready supply of hot water on hand. Because of this, water from a tankless heater may take slightly longer to warm up when compared to a tank design.
What Do I Need To Know When Shopping For A Propane Hot Water Heater?
One of the first things to decide when shopping for propane ht water heaters is whether you want a model with or without a tank.
If you are more concerned about energy efficiency than anything else, a tankless version may be your best option. Since the tankless designs aren’t required to maintain the temperature on a reserve supply of hot water, they only need to run while hot water is being directly pulled form them. If you have a tank, the heater will cycle on and off on a regular basis in order to keep the water supply in the tank from cooling down too much. The downside to a tankless model is the wait you may experience when first trying to pull hot water. For example, if you start a hot shower, it may take a few minutes for the water to actually become hot. Once the water reaches a certain temperature, however, it should remain consistently high regardless of how long you need the supply to continue.
On the other hand, if you prefer the convenience of having a supply of hot water on hand at all times, then going with a tank may be your best option. If you still wish to have some level of energy efficiency with a tank model, however, there are a few tips you can follow to help decrease the energy loss. The first thing to do is lower the temperature that the water in the tank is maintained at. While you may not necessarily notice a 5 degree drop in temperature in your shower, the amount of energy needed to maintain the lower temperature in the tank will decrease significantly. Another technique involves insulating the tank with a thick blanket of fiberglass. This added insulation helps the tank maintain the temperature more efficiently, also decreasing the amount of times it needs to cycle on and off to keep the water at the optimum temperature.
The other variable to consider if you choose a water heater with a tank is just how large you want the tank to be. Unlike the tankless models, which can heat water quickly as it passes over the burners, models with a tank can take somewhat longer to get the water to a higher temperature once the reserve in the tank has been used. In other words, a smaller tank also means shorter hot showers and baths. It can also mean that only one appliance is able to pull form the hot water supply at one time. For instance, if you try to take a hot shower at the same time you are washing clothes in hot water, one of the appliances will most likely only be pulling lukewarm water. Larger tanks, however, are much more efficient with regards to the amount of time they can produce consistently hot water. A larger tank also makes it possible to run more than one appliance at the same time, primarily due to the fact that the hot water reserve is large enough to be able to split between multiple needs.
For the most part, any propane hot water heater you choose will be more efficient and cost effective than an electric or natural gas model. Since propane is a clean burning fuel, they are also environmentally friendly. The biggest decision regarding style and size will be determined by a number of factors, including the size of your family, the level of energy efficiency being sought, and the number of appliances that would be potentially pulling from the hot water supply at any given time.
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Basically propane water heaters are the same as natural gas water heaters except that they need different nozzle for the burner and the pilot if used (look for the conversion kit).
Most of the manufacturer are building gas water heaters with both options on the same unit. It is very important to use the heater for what it is designed and shipped for. One should read the yellow energy guide tag which contains that information.
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