There are many advantages of a propane water heater. There is much debate over whether an electric one is better, and it really depends on where you live and what your costs are. If you are one of those people who are living completely off the grid on your own electrical power, then of course an electric model is better for your home. But what about the rest of the people who are still relying on electrical services? If you have the availability of propane, it may be a good time to switch over to propane instead.

One of the advantages is that propane is more fuel efficient in the long run. With an electrical heating element, it takes longer to heat the water, which can be a real disadvantage when using an instant water heater, because you won’t have as much hot water, than a propane one. The heat exchanger for propane is direct heat, meaning that you will have water that is hotter, stays that way for your entire application and burns more efficiently.

Using propane will save half the energy that electricity produces, especially if that electricity is produced from a coal burning plant. Propane is portable, so you can buy a smaller unit, or even one that is completely for on the go, like when you are camping. Who out there is so tired of heating water on the fire, or their charcoal grill? With heating on the fire, you can often burn yourself removing the pot, or even run the risk of spilling the water and putting out your fire. If you are using a small portable propane heater, you have hot water on demand, for whatever you need it for, cups of hot chocolate, washing dishes, and even taking a nice hot shower.

If you still can’t get away from a tank water heater, the Rheem 40 Gallon FVR Propane Water Heater, 6YR 22V40F1P is the heater for you. It has a one of a kind shut off device that gives you double the safety protection. It is maintenance free, meaning you won’t have to worry about cleaning a filter. Uses standard replacement parts, and even has an EverKleen in tank cleaning system that reduces sediment build up. It comes with a limited 6 year warranty on the tank and parts, and sells for under $500.

If you are more interested in an instant, on demand hot water heater, then the Bosch Aquastar 1600H Propane Tankless Water Heater is the one you need. It features up to 117,000Btu input, has a natural draft and hydro generated ignition. It can replace a 40 gallon water tank heater, and can provide endless hot water, one application at a time. It has a 90-180 degree temperature range, depending on the Gallon per minute flow range, and can be adjusted from .6gpm-4.3gpm. This model actually has a 12 year warranty on the heat exchanger, and 2 years on parts, and costs only $698.95 retail, but can be found even less at some outlets.

Should you get a water heater with or without a tank? Before you decide, find out more about tankless water heaters.