What Is The Best Water Heater for Your Custom Home

June 11, 2020

One of the best things about building a custom home is that you have the ability to design your home exactly how you want it. You get to make all the selections, from the countertops in the kitchen to flooring in the living area. You even get to go as far as choosing some of the details and features that you may not have yet thought about, such as appliances like a hot water heater. 

As a premium custom home builder, the team here at 4G Design Build is committed to helping our clients through every step in the custom home building process, answering any questions along the way. Believe it or not, one common question that clients ask our home builders is in regards to what hot water heater they should choose for their new home. Choosing a water heater, while you may initially think otherwise, is not an easy task to say the least and it can be difficult to determine which type is the best for your home. After all, you don’t want to find yourself stuck in a freezing cold shower when you wake up in the morning. In today’s post, our North Carolina home builders discuss the different options available when it comes to hot water heaters for your custom home. 

What Is The Best Water Heater for Your Home?

In order to enjoy hot water in your new custom home, you’ll need a fuel source to heat the water. Many people choose conventional water heaters as this is what most homeowners have in their homes. However, a tankless or on-demand water heater is definitely worth consideration. Let’s compare the two options: 

Conventional Water Heaters

Conventional storage water heaters are what most people have in their homes. They are about six-feet tall and typically hold anywhere between 50- and 80-gallons of water. A conventional water heater maintains hot water in its reserve and provides that hot water by releasing it whenever a hot water tap is turned on somewhere in the house. Cold water enters the storage tank, is heated, and then moves into the reservoir to replenish the used water.

Things to Know About Conventional Water Heaters

• These water heaters are constantly heating the water, whether you are using it or not. This can result in higher energy bills.
• Conventional water heaters can run out of hot water. Since the hot water is stored in a reservoir, there is only so much that can be used before it runs out. 

On-Demand Water Heaters

As the name implies, on-demand water heaters — also referred to as tankless water heaters — heat up water directly without the need for a storage tank, avoiding stand-by energy loss. Instead of constantly maintaining a reserve of hot water, the water is only heated when a hot water tap is turned on. When the tap is turned on, whether you are taking a shower or doing dishes, cold water passes through the pipe and is heated up by either an electric or gas element. This prevents you from having to wait for a storage tank to fill up with hot water.

Things to Know About On-Demand Water Heaters

• These water heaters work by heating water when you need it, meaning you will never run out of hot water — no more surprise ice-cold showers!
• Because these water heaters are not constantly heating water, you can save a significant amount of money on your energy bills
• Though they typically have a more expensive upfront cost than conventional water heaters, they have an average lifespan of over 20 years, which makes them well worth it.

The Right Water Heater Can Save You Money

While conventional water heaters work great and get the job done, they do come with some flaws, especially if you have a large family. At 4G Design Build, we typically recommended that our clients install an on-demand or tankless water heater when building their custom home, because in our opinion, they simply are a better water heater. While they do cost a little bit more — typically around $1,500 after installation — but our home builders think it’s well worth it. Not only will it help your pocketbook when you’re paying your utilities, but tankless water heating systems are also better for the environment than conventional storage tanks are.

To learn more about these two types of water heaters, be sure to check out this video, as Sam Gandy, owner of 4G Design Build, compares the options. For more videos and answers to frequently asked questions related to building custom homes, be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel and keep an eye out for the next video in our series. 

If you are interested in building a custom home in North Carolina, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with our team of award-winning home builders and designers.