The disadvantages of a vented hot water cylinder are they take up more space with the combination of the cold water tank and the hot water tank cylinder.
The vented hot water cylinders also rarely deliver hot water at the pressure of the unvented systems and you may need an additional pump to boost water flow and water pressure.
The difference between vented and unvented electric water heaters is the unvented hot water cylinder differs in that it provides mains pressure hot water directly from the cold mains as opposed to tank pressure water provided with a vented water heater cylinder.
The cold water is directly pulled from the main water supply and is then heated by the selected heat source relevant to the cylinder type.
Unlike older vented water heater cylinders, unvented water heaters are fully sealed and take water directly from your main source of water.
This means they can offer a higher and more consistent flow rate when it comes to water pressure, as well as not requiring an accompanying gravity-fed water tank to operate.
The most economical way to use an electric water heater is to turn it on a few hours before you need to use the hot water or shut the electric water heater off when away from home and turn it back on as soon as you get home and need the hot water.
Shutting the electric water heater off when away from home or when not using it can save you money on your electric bill.
A tankless water heater is better as the tankless water heater only heats the water as you use it which means that the tankless water heater uses less energy as it's not constantly heating the water.
Also with a tankless water heater you never run out of hot water like you would with a tank water heater as the water is constantly heated on demand.
The best type of electric hot water heater is the Rheem Performance Platinum Series Gladiator 50-Gallon Electric Water Heater and the Rheem Performance Standard 40-Gallon Electric Water Heater.
A 40 gallon electric hot water tank or water heater tanks around 60 minutes to 80 minutes to heat up the water.
A 50 gallon electric water heater can take as long as 145 minutes to 150 minutes to heat up the water.
The downside of an electric water heater is they cost more to operate than natural gas water heaters and also take longer to heat water.
Also during a power outage you won't have hot water once the water in the electric water heater cools down.
With a gas water heater or propane water heater you can still have hot water even when the power is out so you can take hot showers and use hot water for anything else you need it for.
The cost to run a 40 gallon electric water heater is around $35.00 to $40.00 a month to around $426.00 to $500.00 a year.
However if the electric water heater is on longer than a few hours a day and is constantly heating of water then the cost to run the water heater can be as much as $3.00 to $5.00 per day.
So it's best to shut the electric water heater off when not using it to save money.
Electric water heaters do use a lot of electricity.
Large 220 volt electric water heaters can use as much as 4,500 watts to as much as 8,000 watts of electricity and sometimes more.
It can cost as much as $5.00 a day or sometimes more to run an electric water heater a day depending on the wattage of the electric water heater.
Smaller 120 volt electric water heaters use on average of 2000 watts when on and heating water which can cost 20 cents an hour to run.
Natural gas and propane water heaters are cheaper to run than electric water heaters and they also heat up quicker and last longer.
It is cheaper to run a gas water heater than it is to run an electric water heater.
Electric water heaters cost more to run and operate than a gas water heater as gas and even propane is cheaper to operate than electricity costs.
Propane and natural gas water heaters also heat the water up much faster than electric water heaters do and you also can have hot water during a power outage as well.
You can replace a gas water heater with electric as long s you run an electric wire to the water heater.
Replacing a gas water heater with an electric water heater is easy as all you have to do is remove the old water heater after shutting off the gas and install the new electric water heater in it's place.
Then simply install a new breaker for the electric water heater and run the wire.
If the electric water heater is 120 volts then a 20 amp breaker is good enough but if the electric water heater is a 220 volt water heater then you need at least 10 AWG wire and a 30 amp breaker.
New electric hot water heaters are no more efficient than the old electric water heaters are.
The new electric water heaters use the same heating elements and wattage as the old electric water heaters do.
You won't save money on your electric bill by changing out to a new electric water heater as they all use the same amount of electricity.
However new electric water heaters may keep the water hot longer than older ones due to more insulation but that is the only thing they would do.
You can save money on your electric bill by switching the electric water heater off at the breaker when not using it.
Most electric water heaters are 220 volts although the smaller electric water heaters with only 1 heating element are most often 110 volts.
The larger electric water heaters that have 2 heating elements are always the 220 volt type water heaters and require 220 volts of power to operate.
Electric water heaters do not need to be vented as electric water heaters do no produce any carbon monoxide like gas or propane water heaters do.
However the pressure relief valve should exit to the outside to allow any possible water from the water heater pressure relief valve to exit and not get into the house.
The lifespan of an electric hot water heater is between 10 to 15 years although some electric water heaters can last 20 years.
If maintained properly the electric water heater should last at least 10 years to 15 years.
If your electric water heater is older than 15 years or is getting close to 15 years old then you should look into replacing it soon as the water heater tank could eventually burst open unexpectedly and cause a major flood in the house.
Even if the electric hot water heater tank looks good it can be bad on the inside.
So if your electric water heater is older than 10 years or older than 15 years and is still working it still is a good idea to replace it to prevent other costly damage to the home.
Signs that your electric water heater is going bad include.
Water Is Discolored or Gritty. Inside your hot water heater there is a component called an anode rod.
Hot Water Smells Off.
Tank Is Leaking Water.
Heating Process Makes Strange Sounds.
Hot Water Runs Out Too Quickly.
Water Never Gets Hot Enough.
There's No Hot Water At All.
While today's water heaters are better designed than older models, they still require regular maintenance in order to prolong their lives.