Are water heaters durable?

There are some really great technologies out there on water heaters these days, and one complaint is that the new water heaters do not last. One reason is that people don't maintain them. Did you know you should flush the water heater every year? How many of us really do it? Still, we see a lot of water heaters with only 6-year warranties. Are there better options out there?

One option that was in several trade magazines is the Marathon water heater by Rheem. With a no-leak-for-a-lifetime guarantee and Envirofoam insulation that is environmentally friendly as well as very efficient, this product could change how some of us heat water. This tank has some of the best energy factors and are electric water heaters so you avoid the combustion gas problem that can exist with gas water heaters.

Another good option out there is the Phoenix solar tank. Www.htproducts.com combines multiple features-including the integration of space and water heating in one package. With 97% efficiency using natural gas or propane, this is one of the higher-efficiency models out there. Auxiliary heating hookups for heating coils can be used in forced-air or radiant heating systems and with a second heat exchanger in the tank for solar. So one tank can serve as the primary and the backup storage tank for solar hot water systems. Go SOLAR!!

There are some good options out there for durable water heaters. One of the best yet is the instant water heater option that Europe has been using for many years now. Do your homework when looking into water heaters, just because the initial cost is cheap, find out what the maintenance and replacement costs you will be paying when your cheap water heater is no good.