QUESTION: I need to replace my old gas water heater. With the cost of gas going up, should I switch to an electric water heater? What features should I look for and how can I tell which are most efficient?ANSWER: Except for heating and cooling your house, water heating is the greatest energy consumer. Installing a new water heater will cut your utility bills and should provide more hot water for morning showers. Since you have gas available at your home, I would suggest staying with it.Although gas rates have risen dramatically, it is still less expensive to heat water with gas than with electricity. Also, installing an electric water heater would require new electric circuits. You would have to hire a plumber to install the water heater and then an electrician for the wiring.The efficiency of gas or electric water heaters can be compared by their energy factor. This is a number, between zero and one, and it relates to how much of each energy dollar results in heated water from the water heater tank. A higher EF indicates higher efficiency and lower utility bills.For new gas water heaters, EF's range from about .50 to .65. For electric water heaters, they can be as high as .95. This sound more efficient, but because each Btu of heat from electricity is more expensive than from gas, a gas water heater with an EF of .65 is still cheaper to operate.An important feature to consider in a gas water heater is the tank insulation. Two inches of foam insulation are often used in the most efficient models. They also use special baffles in the internal flue pipe to improve the heat transfer to the water. The length of the warranty is also important.When selecting a gas water heater, the first consideration should be the first hour rating. This indicates how much hot water the water heater can produce in one hour. This includes the volume of hot water in the tank after not being used all night and the amount of new hot water the burners can heat in one hour.A plumber can recommend the appropriate water heater size for your specific family. For a family of four, a gas water heater with a 40-gallon tank or an electric one with an 80-gallon tank is typical. Gas water heaters heat water faster than electric ones so they require smaller tank capacities.If your children take unusually long showers or you have some other specific hot water needs, you may need a larger tank.

Send inquiries to James Dulley, Butler Eagle, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.