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A water heater is an incredibly vital part of any home. Without this piece of equipment you are unable to do a lot of very basic things that are part of our everyday routines such as washing your hands, doing dishes and laundry and showering.
So naturally a homeowner here in Northern New Jersey, or anywhere for that matter, would want a water heater that can do its job and do its job well – in other words, a water heater that is efficient. The first step in that process is to understand a water heater’s efficiency ratings.
There is a rating system when it comes to how efficient a water heater is. The system that is used today has been streamlined by the Department of Energy in an effort to make understanding water heater efficiency ratings easier.
Currently, there is a uniform standard for testing and sharing efficiency information with customers and potential customers that is called Uniform Energy Factor (UEF for short).
The UEF number reflects the overall efficiency of a water heater. By ‘efficiency’ we mean how much of the energy a water heater uses actually goes towards actually heating water and how much ends up being wasted energy. An efficient water heater has a high UEF rating.
The First Hour Rating or First Hour Delivery number (FHR and FHD for short) represents the amount of hot water a water heater is able to produce during its first hour of operation.
The last number to know is the gallons-per-minute (GPM), which tells you how much hot water a tankless water heater can produce.
If you are looking for a water heater that is more efficient than your standard electric water heaters you have two solid options, both of which can be powered by propane: storage tank and tankless.
A tankless propane water heater produces hot water on demand as opposed to heating up water in a tank and then storing this water for future use. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, tankless systems can be up to 34% more efficient than the alternatives.
A storage tank propane water heater is similar to a tankless water heater when it comes to energy efficiency benefits. Additionally, they tend to be easier to install and less costly. Compared to an electric water heater, the annual usage cost of a propane storage tank water heater is about 10% less.
A propane-powered water heater is more efficient than an electric version because they can produce more hot water per hour. They are able to do this seeing as one gallon of propane can generate nearly 91,500 British Thermal Units of heat energy. Additionally, they experience less heat loss than traditional water heaters do and use less energy.
If you are in the market for a new water heater for your Northern New Jersey home Fredericks Fuel can help. We can install both tank and tankless models. Prior to installation one of our equipment experts will take the time to work with you to select the water heater that works best for you and your needs.
Contact Fredericks Fuel today and let us know how we can help with your water heater needs.
