Wolseley PRO Pipeline Blog
If your home were to go a day without hot water, you would quickly realize how many applications it affects. Homeowners rely on contractors to provide the best water heater solutions, especially when deciding between renting and buying; it is vital to help homeowners understand the costs, warranties, longevity, and benefits of purchasing a water heater and how it can help them stay in control of their home’s energy efficiency.
Buying an Electric Water Heater
Electric and gas water heaters differ in their energy consumption and costs; however, both have their respective advantages. When communicating with your customers, you want to list some of the main benefits of buying an electric water heater.
Firstly, enforce the idea that spending money on quality as purchasing a water heater is a long-term investment. A good focus point would be the efficiency and recovery rate of a heater, the latter being how fast the water heater recovers after using it. In the case of electric water heaters, for instance, they are 100% efficient, but the same cannot be said of their recovery rates.. Therefore, spending a bit extra on a suitable electric water heater with a higher than standard market recovery rate, gets you further in the long run. Electric Water Heaters also seem to be the way of the future and have easily accessible parts should they need to be repaired.
Buying an Efficient Gas Water Heater
Different regions in Canada find people opting for either gas or electric water heaters depending on the market need. As it stands, Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan are primarily gas markets. Electricity can be costly, so homeowners may choose to go with gas for this reason, or at least until the electrical grid expands in some more remote areas. Gas water heaters are dependable if ever the electricity fails and is cheaper. With that, your customers should be aware of code changes coming into effect starting July of 2023 that may impact this, and the gas water heaters we see today may not exist going forward.
When it comes to gas water heaters, help your customers understand that higher efficiency appliances will better prepare them for the future, especially with code updates. This may mean replacing a 65% efficient unit with a 95% efficient unit. And while it may mean a slightly higher price tag upfront, the cost savings in efficiency, and the likelihood of the product outlasting code changes, mean it’s a better investment.
Purchases, Warranties, and Care of Professional Water Heaters
Warranties on water heaters can vary, but with gas and electric, most box office stores are selling tanks that offer a 6-year warranty on the tank and 1-year on parts. This type is standard, but warranties from Wolseley will have improved coverage and support compared to a box-store purchase.
Contractors working with Wolseley also have easy access to both electric and gas replacement parts and specialized product support directly from the manufacturers. So, if a customer is debating between purchasing the unit from a big box store versus a contractor, the better deal will come from going with a contractor. The only significant difference is the time and care it takes on repairs. Electric repairs tend to be less costly and quicker, whereas, with a gas unit, there are gas valves that can cost in the ballpark of $400. But, if a homeowner has the proper warranty and know-how from their contractor, these costs can be covered or taken care of efficiently.
Purchasing a Tank Water Heater Versus a Tankless Water Heater
The tankless option is popular in new construction and is gradually taking over. It is about 30% of the market, and it will likely be the new normal in upcoming years. At this point, the right choice of water heater largely depends on the homeowner’s lifestyle and needs.
There are various benefits to buying a tankless water heater. Firstly, it only heats the water you need, unlike tanks that store hot water. This feature makes it much cheaper to operate. But it also means that hot water from tankless heaters is not “instantaneous,” as some contractors mistakenly tell homeowners. However, they do take moments to warm water, and depending on how big the home is, there may be a need for a larger unit or multiple units to be installed at various points.
Nevertheless, tankless water heaters are designed to last 20 years which is reassuring, promising long-term benefits despite initial installation costs. While tankless indeed comes with advantages, the homeowner must be more mindful of their consumption. Because it is heating-on-demand and does not have a reserve of heated water, running high-powered laundry machines and showers is not optimal being the most efficient.
More Efficient Tank Water Heaters
For homeowners with a more hectic lifestyle who are less concerned about the costs associated with constantly heating a reserve of water, a tank water heater is ideal. Tank water heaters have come a long way since their inception. For example, Bradford White Residential Electric and gas-powered water tank heaters come strongly recommended.
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For electric options, the AeroTherm® Series is an advancement in technology that performs incredibly well. It can be installed inside a home anywhere from garages to closets. In addition, your customers will save energy by being able to control consumption because of the various operations that can be done, such as operating with a heat pump, in hybrid mode, or in vacation mode.
Shop Bradford White Water Heaters and Heat Pumps
There are durable gas options too. The Defender Safety System® is a popular gas tank heater prime for residential applications. The Eco-Defender is also a suitable choice to keep gas emissions low and keep the environment safe.
Helping Customers Buy the Right Water Heater
Ultimately, homeowners should buy the water heating solution that best helps them stay in control of their home’s energy efficiency and gives them the flexibility to do repairs or upgrades at their own pace. Make sure you’re ready to answer homeowners’ questions about costs, warranties, replacements, tank types and energy types, and you’ll be prepared to make them confident in the sale and in their home.
Talk to your Wolseley representative to learn more about market options, what is popular in your market, and how you can approach your homeowners with these options.
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