Water Heater Installation in Brookings, SD
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Brookings County asks a lot of a water heater
Winter nights here average 8°F from December through February, and incoming water runs cold along with them. A water heater has to work harder to bring that water up to temperature when it starts out that cold, and it does that work nine months a year here, September through May.
The federal minimum efficiency for storage water heaters isn't one number. It's set by a formula tied to the tank's rated volume, applied separately across four different draw patterns, so two tanks of the same type can face different minimums if they're not the same size. Whoever installs your replacement needs to know which minimum applies to the size and type going into your home.
- 8°F
- the average winter night, and colder incoming water means longer heating
- 9 months
- September through May, the months homes here need heat
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A heat pump water heater would save about $300 a year to run in South Dakota compared with an electric water heater.
Estimates for a typical South Dakota home, from EIA household energy data and South Dakota fuel prices. Your home will differ.
- How do I know it's time to replace my water heater?
- The clearest sign is water pooling around the base of the tank. That means the tank itself is leaking, and a leaking tank does not get repaired, it gets replaced. Rusty water from the hot side, a tank that no longer keeps up with hot water, or a unit that is making popping and rumbling noises are the other signs worth acting on. If your water heater is old and needs a repair, replacing it is usually the better move since another breakdown is likely not far off.
- Should I switch to a tankless water heater?
- It depends on what you want from your hot water and what your home can support. A tankless unit heats water on demand instead of storing it, so you do not run out of hot water partway through back to back showers. It also takes up much less space than a tank. Switching usually means changes to the gas line, venting, or electrical circuit, since tankless units draw more power at the moment they fire than a tank does, so a contractor needs to look at your home's setup before you decide.
- What changes when you install a tankless water heater?
- The biggest change is that a larger gas line or dedicated circuit is often needed, since a tankless unit pulls a lot of power for the short time it is heating water. Venting is different too. Tankless units usually vent through a wall with dedicated intake and exhaust pipe rather than the vent a storage tank used. The unit itself mounts on a wall instead of sitting on the floor, which frees up the space the old tank used to take. A contractor can tell you what your specific home needs to make the switch.