Humankind has been heating up water for cooking, cleaning, and more for most of our recorded history. Most likely, primitive water heating required our ancestor to warm a full cauldron over an open fire. It wasn't until 1868 that we first developed a water heater by today's standards. Technology has come a long way in the more than 150 years since then, and the hardware used in water heating is no exception.

What Is A Water Heater?

A water heater does exactly what you would expect: it heats your water. Simple! But that straightforward functionality doesn't mean every space can use the same water heater. IWAE offers a range of options from AO Smith and MrCool that can handle your varied water heating needs. Some are designed to work with natural gas or propane, using fire to keep a pilot light lit. More similar to the old days, these gas heaters are a modern solution that mirrors the cauldron and open flame our ancestors used. Other units use electricity to heat the water. 

The variations don’t end with the lighting mechanism: technology has also advanced far enough that you can use tankless water heaters.

Much of this variation is a matter of preference, but getting the right size of water heater is an absolute necessity. Choosing the right size for your home and needs ensures that you'll have enough hot water to do all your tasks without needing to coordinate tasks or wait in line. If your water heater is too small,  you might not have enough water to shower and run a load of dishes at the same time. Conversely, a heater that is too large will lead to unnecessary heat loss and cost you money on your utilities.

Tanked vs Tankless

If you don’t have the space to accommodate a traditional tank water heater, going tankless is a no-brainer. Tankless units give you the hot water you need while taking up a fraction of the space of traditional tanks. 

The pros of a tankless water heater don't stop at their space-saving construction: they also minimize energy loss in your home.

• By only heating water as needed, you can prevent heat loss through the idle storage of heated water, which will in turn reduce your monthly utility bills

• Since all that water is heated in real time rather than pulled from a reservoir, tankless water heaters won’t run out of hot water in the middle of your task

With those benefits, you may wonder why anyone would choose a tank over tankless. Well, there can be a few drawbacks:

• Using multiple hot water appliances at the same time may produce less reliable results as the tankless heater struggles to keep up with demand

• Since water isn’t already heated, it can take a couple minutes after turning on the hot water faucet to reach the temperature you need

Important Terms About Tank Water Heater Efficiency

Any time you purchase new equipment, you'll want to make sure it can perform in accordance with industry standards. When looking into the efficiency of a water heater, here are some key metrics to keep in mind:

• First-hour rating: how much hot water you can use in the first hour after installation

• The mathematical question is calculated by taking your tank’s size in gallons, multiplying it by 70%, then adding your recovery rate

• Gallons per minute: how much hot water can be delivered in sixty seconds

• The higher the GPM, the better the results for multiple concurrent applications

• Recovery rate: how fast the heater heats more water after some has been used

• This is determined by the energy source and efficiency

For any additional common HVAC words and terms, check out our Industry Terminology page.

How To Determine The Right Size For Your Space

There are a few factors that may affect what size tank you should purchase for your space, one of the most important being the physical space you have available to store the unit. But beyond space constraints, the US Department of Energy has an outline on how to size a new water heater. Factors to keep in mind are:

• number of occupants

• types of use

• average gallons of hot water per function

IWAE Spotlight: Great Water Heaters For A Great Price

Choosing a new water heater can be difficult, we know. Deciding between tank or tankless, electric or gas can be daunting, but IWAE is here to help.

Keep Your Home Supplied With Hot Water With IWAE

From showers and sink faucets to dishwashers and washing machines, having consistent and dependable hot water in your home is integral for the high standard of living you deserve. If you’re sold on never running out of hot water in the middle of your shower just because someone started a load of laundry but are still unsure what the right fit is for your home, there’s no need to fret.

Support is no further away than a phone call or message. The customer service experts at IWAE are ready to help you figure out the perfect solution for the unique needs of you, your space, and your family. With a few questions about your home’s size, how many people live there, and your average daily hot water use, the team here at IWAE will help you find the perfect solution to meet your needs.