Which Is More Efficient Gas Or Electric Hot Water Tank

You ll find both gas and electric models.

Which is more efficient gas or electric hot water tank.

And can provide hot water during power failures if they have continuous pilot lights. We rated the annual energy consumption cost excellent for a gas. Energy efficiency while gas hot water heaters cost less to run due to the lower cost of natural gas electric heaters are actually more efficient. On the other hand.

They re more energy efficient than a storage tank but provide only a limited flow of hot water per minute about 3 5 gallons depending on inlet water temperatures. A coil system heats the water as needed which saves on energy bills. Tankless gas water heaters and electric tankless water heaters are more expensive up front and may require you to upgrade your electrical systems. Most gas fired water heaters have an energy factor ef number set by the u s.

They require adequate airflow for combustion. A gas or electric water heater s energy factor ef is a measurement that compares the amount of hot water the heater produces per day to the amount of fuel it consumes. A gas heater must vent the spent gas which also takes some of the heat with it. In all aspects electric tankless water heaters offer higher efficiency longevity and more.

Also if you have a larger home you may need more than one. Department of energy to help consumers compare the efficiency of similar appliances. Propane models have the same pros and cons as natural gas units but propane is a more expensive fuel. Efficiency standards for gas and electric water heaters are different but both use the uniform energy factor uef ratings system where higher scoring units produce more hot water while using less energy.

To earn an energy star certification for example electric water heaters with tanks up to 55 gallons must have a uef greater than 2. The higher the ef number. They can be 8 14 more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water around 86 gallons per day. The bigger the ef number the more efficient the appliance.

This is due to the way that the heaters operate. Standard gas water heaters have an ef of about 50 to 60. Gas and electric tankless water heaters run more efficiently than the conventional water heaters of the same fuel type. For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily demand water heaters can be 24 34 more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters.

Natural gas models come in a variety of sizes types and efficiencies.