Essential home equipment, like water heaters, allows you to maintain a warm and comfortable dwelling. They supply hot water for all the uses we require—a huge range of tasks from the national average bathroom to laundry. National Association of Home Builders member Malcolm Williams (who represented the NAHB at the 2012 International Code Council hearings) lists among the common types of water heaters installed in homes the traditional tank model, the tankless option, and solar water heaters. Each comes with a distinct set of costs (most significant to us here), benefits, and potential drawbacks. Your decision on which to procure really does affect your energy usage for the life of the model.
Correct installation is critical to ensure efficient, safe operation of your water heater. Although some homeowners might consider the job one they could do themselves, it is far better to hire a pro. Otherwise, you could end up with leaks (and possibly water-damaging ones) or, worse, an improperly vented or wired heater that could lead to fires or explosions.
Qualified installers will make sure your heater is well situated, with plenty of unobstructed space around it while also ensuring it is adequately ventilated to the outside. They know how to connect a water heater with the plumbing it needs to function. And with the right electrical connectors, if needed, too. Once the heavy lifting is done, the installation itself is pretty straightforward.
Homeowners should not overlook the importance of repairing the water heater. This unit, like any other in the house, can run into problems and need urgent attention. It has to do with water temperature, though it is not the only thing that can go wrong. Irregular water temperatures, strange unit noises, and unexplained increases in energy bills are common issues. Some might be inclined to think them just a "water heater problem" or a "plumbing issue," but not doing something about them can lead to frying the heater or the circuits connected to it. Regular maintenance with a professional can help, and if you involve a professional contractor, you can be fairly certain the problem's been diagnosed correctly and that there shouldn't be water heater troubles for a while.