THERE ARE 2 MAIN TYPES OF WATER HEATERS

TANKLESS WATER HEATERS: THESE UNITS PROVIDE ENDLESS HOT WATER FOR THE FAMILY. THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER LIFESPANS THAN ANY TANK TYPE WATER HEATER(12-25 YEARS WARRANTED). THEY WILL ALSO SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY DURING THEIR LIFESPAN DUE TO THEIR EFFICIENCY (THEY USE LESS GAS). THERE ARE ELECTRIC TANKLESS WATER HEATERS, BUT THERE ARE HIGHLY IMPRACTICAL. THEY ARE EXTREMELY INEFFICIENT AND WILL SPIKE UP YOUR UTILITY BILL 10 FOLD. THEY MAY ALSO REQUIRE A NEW ELECTRICAL PANEL INSTALLATION DUE TO HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY THEY DEMAND. ON THE LOW END THEY REQUIRE AT LEAST (2) 240V 40A DEDICATED CIRCUITS, AND THATS FOR THE SMALL ONES. 

TANK TYPE WATER HEATERS: TANK OR STANDARD WATER HEATERS ARE WHAT IS IN THE MAJORITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HOMES. THEY ARE TYPICALLY GAS FED AND ARE CONSIDERED HIGHLY INEFFICIENT. THERE ARE 2 OTHER TYPES OF TANK WATER HEATERS; ELECTRIC, AND HYBRID ELECTRIC. THEY HAVE A LIFESPAN OF 8-12 YEARS AN HAVE A LIMITED SUPPLY OF HOT WATER. HOWEVER, THEY ARE THE MOST PRACTICAL AND TYPICALLY THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE REPLACEMENT FOR MOST HOMES. 

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION HAS BANNED THE INSTALATION OF GAS USING APLIANCES AND FIXTURES FOR RESIDENTIAL HOMES GOING FORWARD AS OF 2024. THIS MEANS THAT ALL INCOMING NEW HOMES WILL NO LONGER HAVE GAS FED WATER HEATERS.

CALIFORNIA ALSO PLANS TO BAN/OUTLAW THE INSTALLATION/REPLACEMENT OF GAS USING APPLIANCES IN THE FUTURE. 

SOOOO, WHAT ARE YOURE OPTIONS GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

FOR HOMEOWNERS WONDERING WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE WHEN IT COMES TO REPLACEMENT WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS AND THEY ARE ENTIRELY BASED ON YOUR CONDITIONS.

1.  FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE SOLAR: OUR RECOMENDATION IS GOING TO BE TO REPLACE YOUR WATER HEATER WITH A HYBRID WATER HEATER. A HYBRID WATER HEATER IS A TANK TYPE WATER HEATER THAT USES ELECTRCITY INSTEAD OF GAS. SEEING AS YOU HAVE SOLAR, AN ELECTRIC CONVERSION SHOULD BOTH ALLEVIATE YOUR UTILITY BILL AS WELL AS ENSURE YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE HOT WATER NO MATTER THE CONDITIONS OF THE CITY POWER GRID. IT IS CALLED A HYBRID BECUASE THE ELECTRICITY POWERS A HEAT PUMP UNIT AS WELL AS A TRADITIONAL ELECTRIC TYPE FIXTURE TO HEAT THE WATER. THEY ARE EXTREMELY ENERGY EFFICIENT (WHEN ON HEAT PUMP MODE). AND, THEY HAVE A MUCH LONGER HOT WATER OUTPUT TIME COMPARED TO STANDARD ELECTRIC AND GAS TYPE WATER HEATERS. THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO GIVING REBATES FOR HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS (SOME TOTALING UP TO APPROX $3400). 

2. FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO REPLACE THEIR EXISTING UNIT SOON AND DONT HAVE SOLAR: OUR RECOMENDATION IS TO GO TANKLESS. REPLACE YOUR STANDARD GAS WATER HEATER WITH A GAS TANKLESS UNIT WHILE YOU STILL CAN. GET A UNIT WITH A STAINLESS STEEL HEAT EXCHANGER (25 YEAR MANUFACTURER WARRANTY) AND INSTALL A SCALERX TAC MEDIA FILTER (12 YEAR WARRANTY). BOTH OF THESE IN COMBINATION WILL GIVE YOU ENDLESS HOT WATER AT AN EXTREMELY LOW GAS USAGE FOR A LOOOOOOONG TIME TO COME. ALSO, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE GOV'T IS STILL GIVING REBATES FOR TANK TO TANKLESS REPLACEMENTS UP TO $2000. 

3. FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO DONT HAVE SOLAR AND, ARENT LOOKING TO REPLACE ANYTIME SOON: START SAVING! WE DONT KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER THE GOV'T WILL BE PROVIDING REBATES FOR HYBRID/HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS. AND ONE THING IS FOR SURE. ONCE IT IS A REQUIREMENT THE PRICES ARE GOING TO GO UP.