What is a reasonable water heater price? This isn't so easy to answer. Different units and models have large differences in their prices. Should you just base your decision on the price alone? Are there other factors besides the price that you should consider? Here are some tips for you to follow to find the best deals.
Read Reviews
Before anything else, you should read about water heaters first. Your objective would be not to become a heater expert but to at least get some basic information about heaters. Otherwise, nothing about heater specifications in various sites will make sense to you. Once you know a bit about heaters, your next step would be to go to review sites.
There are many different review sites. The ones you should check are the well-known independent review sites. Depending on the site you are on, you can get some information about various costs per model, installation costs and product reviews. These review sites are actually one stop sites where you can compare the prices and features. You can also benefit from various reviews from experts, amateurs and average consumers like you.
Consider Cost of Operation
There is more to a water heater price than the purchase cost. You may not know that a seemingly cheap heater may actually cost more in the long run. This is because it may cost a lot to operate it. You end up spending more than what you saved when you bought it. If you want to have long term savings on cost, then look for a unit with a high energy factor. This is found on the energy guide or label found on the unit. A high energy factor of around 0.8-2 would mean that the unit is efficient in using energy. This means less energy waste and cost for you.
Consider the Type
The oldest heater model is the tank type. You can now buy these for as low as $100. More expensive models are the tankless, heat pump and solar. The prices of these can range from $200 to over a thousand dollars. The more expensive ones however are usually the most energy efficient and can help you save in operational costs
One reason why tank types cost more to operate is because of standby losses. The tanks of tank type heaters are always filled with water. The water is kept warm even when it isn't used. Hot water that just sits in a tank results in energy loss which eventually translates to higher energy bills for you. The tankless type eliminates this problem by providing warm water only when you need it.
Conserve Energy
You may not be able to afford a more energy efficient heater model at this time. You can however still shave off a few dollars off your operational cost. You may for example install aerators and tank and pipe insulation. These will reduce the heat that is lost in the process of operating a tank-type heater. Aside from helping you limit costs, you are also conserving energy.
Finding the right water heater price may be a bit tricky. The real key is to learn more about how heaters work and use energy. Never pick a heater based on price alone.
Compare water heater price from different brands. Get the best water heater prices online. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ann_Triune |
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