6:13 am. You turn on your shower to let the steam fill the bathroom as you go turn on the coffee maker in preparation for the day.
6:17 am You return to the bathroom and begin to disrobe when you notice something – no steam fogging up the mirror. This is unusual. You throw back the shower curtain & hesitantly reach your hand into the pouring water only to find the water is ice cold. This is not the way you wanted your week to start.
No hot water for a shower & no time to think about this right now – you throw on clothes with frustration & head out the door.
8:20am At the office, the phones are ringing off the hook in the background. Your desk is piling up with “to-do’s” & all you can think about is how much this water heater is going to cost to replace.
11:15am Time to take a break & call some plumbers for an estimate.
Let’s pause here. Here is where most people go wrong. They call around for pricing, get a number, have sticker shock & end up going for what-ever is cheapest. But did you know, that buying based on price now can cost you more than double over the course of 10-20 years?!
Let’s take a deeper look:
All 3 are made by Rheem, all 3 are 50 gal & all 3 are electric. Most people wouldn’t see the difference here. Most would say “I just want a standard, there is no need for all the bells & whistles here” which is fair & valid – especially if you only really understand the difference in price.
But what if I told you that by trying to save $1000 now by getting the standard over the hybrid -that it’s going to cost you $5,000 (+) over the course of 15 years.
If you are new to owning a home, you may not really be worried about 15 years from now. But if you are planning for retirement or planning for your current home to carry you through into your golden years – then planning your water heater purchase for that same future is crucial!
Here is a little chart to help you make the right choice for your investment:
Instead of focusing on the now (and we get it, NOW is when you have to pay for it) re-focusing your sight on down the road, when you can calculate your return on investment.
It’s not JUST price you should compare, its warranty, average “life”, & energy use (energy guide) that all factor into what your water heater is ACTUALLY costing you.
As you can see above, even the middle price option, with the best warranty terms, MAY not be the best option for you. The hybrid, even though you’d replace it once every 10 (+) years – clearly still retains its value, based on its energy use.
Even just 3-5 years down the road, not far before most people have to replace their standard water heater (year 5-8), you could be seeing your “break-even” if choosing the hybrid over the standard option. The Hybrid, which costs $2500 upfront, at year 5 has already saved you $600 in energy costs compared to the standard.
By year 7, you’ll likely have to fully replace that standard water heater, costing you another $1500 at least. Comparatively, that same hybrid option now would have saved you $2700
When looking at these numbers, it’s hard to deny the value. But every person & their situation is different. If you are looking to replace or update your water heater, call St. Pete Plumbing today! Like the warranties of the water heaters themselves, not all plumbers’ values are equal. At St. Pete Plumbing, we guarantee our work – so you can rest easy.
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