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Sep 06, 2013
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Are Your Energy Bills Really High? Take a Look at your Water Heater!

When you think of where all you energy dollars go every month you most likely think of lighting, your appliances, your air conditioning unit and let’s not forget your heater, but we tend to overlook the expense of heating our water in relation to our energy consumption. Did you know that 25% of your energy dollars goes towards heating the water in your home for your daily needs such as showers, laundry and using your dishwasher? Water heaters have come a long way in the last decade and today’s models are much more energy efficient than the one in your Grandparents’ basement. If you feel your energy bills are on the rise, consider taking a look at your water heater and upgrading to a more efficient model. In the simplest terms think of your water heater like a car’s gas mileage. Some cars get 15 miles to the gallon while others get 40 on the same gallon of gas. Don’t just consider the initial price of purchasing a new water heater, think of how much it costs to operate and you could save hundreds of dollars.

There are three main factors to consider when in the market for a new water heater and those are:

  • Fuel
  • Water Storage
  • Function

What type of fuel….gas or electric?!

One of the first decisions you will have to make is whether you want to purchase an electric or gas water heater. Check to see what type of water heater you have now might help make your mind of regarding which type because you may only have a natural gas outlet or and electric outlet available so you don’t buy the wrong one. Here are the biggest differences between the two fuels.

Gas

  • Must be safely vented to the outdoors
  • Can require a slightly larger upfront cost
  • Usually will cost less to operate
  • Is not affected by power outages
  • Increased safety

Electric

  • Usually costs less than gas water heaters
  • Heats up your water quickly
  • Offers high energy factor ratings
  • Very easy to maintain

Water Storage…conventional or tankless?

So what is the difference between the two? Conventional tank water heaters store water in an insulated tank until it is needed. Tankless units do not store water, but rather heat it by running it through coils.

Conventional

  • More economical
  • 20 to 80 gallon capacity ranges
  • Can we placed in a closet, garage or basement
  • Do your homework because efficiency varies between different models & brands

Tankless

  • Can be a larger upfront investment
  • Installed on a wall, freeing up space
  • Can reduce energy consumption by as much as 30%
  • Can run out of hot water during heavier usage
  • Must be ventilated

Function – What type of capacity?

It is very important that you select a water heater that provides enough hot water for your home because purchasing one that is undersized will have to work harder and have shorter lifespan. If you purchase a conventional water heater, you can determine your proper capacity based on the number of bathrooms and bedrooms in your home.

Number of Bathrooms 1-1.5 2.2.5 3-3.5
Number of Bedrooms 1       2        3 2        3     4     5 3        4      5    6
Minimum Tank Size 20/30/40 50/50/50/60 50/60/60/80

Additional features to look for:

  • Self-cleaning – water heaters with this feature automatically fight lime and sediment buildup
  • Recovery Speed – If you have a tendency to use a lot of hot water look for a model with a fast recovery speed.
  • Automatic Shutoff Valve – will prevent fires by shutting off the flow of gas if there is movement in the ground or the gas flow experiences a sudden increase.
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"I wish everyone else was as reliable as you guys are! I can't thank you enough, I will, as always, pass the word, about what a first class company you are and how you live up to your promises. I'm one of your biggest fans."

Bill R.
Apple Valley, MN
June 19, 2024

"This company is great. I have had siding, windows and LeafGuard® Gutters in the past. Just had the roof replaced. Great customer service. Would highly recommend."

Dennis J.
Prior Lake, MN
May 21, 2024

"Needed some help with gutters and the gentlemen that came out was honest about the problem and didn’t try to sell me into a bigger project than I needed like a different company did. Appreciate the honesty and will look to this company in the future for all other needs."

Brady G.
St. Bonifacius, MN
May 1, 2024

"It went well. Everyone was polite, capable, and effective. Questions were answered, and minor adjustments were made, at my request, quickly. All in all, very good experience working with Lindus."

Daniel T.
St Paul, MN
April 25, 2024

"Great company. Careful work. Good products. Fun installers They have done several projects for me and I have never been disappointed."

Donise W.
Minnetonka, MN
March 28, 2024

"I was very impressed that Lindus sent a safety inspector on day one and a quality inspector at the end. I did not expect this but sincerely appreciate this attention to detail. All of this demonstrates how Lindus stands by its work and differentiates Lindus from other firms. I would definitely consider Lindus for any future exterior needs."

Debbie E.
Plymouth, MN
February 27, 2024

"Over the past 18 years and 4 separate major home improvement projects, Lindus Construction has exceeded every one of our family’s expectations on each of these projects. Whenever anyone invests in home improvement, the homeowner’s concerns ultimately center on several critical factors: the ultimate quality of the final product, ease of working with the firm, honest communication and relationships, craftsmanship of the employees, timeliness, service after the sale, and of course, a manageable investment cost. We are proud to say that the Lindus team has been an outstanding partner in improving our house’s function, appearance, and market value."

Jim G.
Chanhassen, MN
February 8, 2024

"I did two big projects in 2023 with Lindus. First was removing and replacing attic insulation plus creating proper ventilation. Second was replacing roof and adding LeafGuard®. Did everything go perfectly? No but that is where a company shows its merits. All issues were resolved! I even received a check for unused supplies. I highly recommend Lindus. They are not the cheapest. You get what you pay for."

Jill D.
St. Paul, MN
December 14, 2023

"Lindus Construction is a company that provides the best possible workmanship, professionalism and customer service for each and every project. Lindus Construction is a great choice for roofing, siding, windows, doors, decking and LeafGuard® Gutter projects or any combination of those projects. Small jobs such as garden sheds to large homeowner associations with multiple buildings they are able to handle it."

Kelly P.
River Falls, WI
December 4, 2023

"We are quite pleased with the way our project went. The Lindus folks have successfully managed to instill a culture of quality and customer service in throughout the entire business, which is rare these days.  Everyone we worked with carried that same attitude of wanting to do it right and make us happy. The installation went well and we are very satisfied."

Tim M.
Minneapolis, MN
June 20, 2023

"Thorough, timely, efficient, good communicators. Excellent work, cleaned up well and took care of a few extra details without any hassle."

Carla U.
Minneapolis, MN
May 17, 2023

"Your services and products are wonderful!  (And we have used Lindus three times now). The crews were gracious and hard-working."

Alan W.
St. Paul, MN
May 11, 2023

"I would just like to compliment Randahl for excellent work and customer service skills.  Every time he was at our home, he was professional, thorough, extremely pleasant, and explained things well.  You are very lucky to have such an outstanding employee!"

Vicki F.
Blaine, MN
March 25, 2023

"Great job. Workers were friendly and cleaned up everything when they were done. They stopped to tell me they were ready to work and checked in when they were done."

Carolyn I.
Andover, MN
March 16, 2023

"This company has all ways been honest with us, took care of us and their workmanship is second to none."

Michael N.
Rosemount, MN
March 13, 2023

"Very professional, super quality work, everyone was very pleasant, would highly recommend, will continue to use Lindus for all future projects."

Chuck V.
Chaska, MN
February 18, 2023

"Service and work were excellent; thank you!"

Ron B.
Burnsville, MN
January 19, 2023

"The technician worked very efficiently and put in long hours to get the job done. Excellent work and we were very grateful."

Pam L.
Oakdale, MN
January 12, 2023

"I have used Lindus in the past and they once again, gave me excellent service. They stand behind their products and service. I have referred them to many friends."

Susan B.
St. Paul, MN
January 6, 2023

"We have had them do work at our home before and at my parents' house. They did great work!"

Sue R.
St. Croix Falls, WI
January 3, 2023

"The two young men that did the install were great.  They were personal and appeared very conscientious."

Jim H.
St. Anthony, MN
December 30, 2022

"Always polite and considerate. Last inspection was a quality control and I was impressed with him and his thorough inspection. Great job!"

Irene S.
Bloomington, MN
December 20, 2022

"We had a great experience with Lindus. The communication has been great. When I had a question I received a return email or phone call quickly. When Lindus employees were at our home, they explained what they were doing in great detail, my questions were always satisfactory answered. I will gladly continue to refer Lindus to friends and neighbors."

Roger D.
Shoreview, MN
November 29, 2022

"I highly recommend Lindus Construction. I have used them for three projects over the last few years and they are easy to contact, the people are friendly and they do very high quality work. Don’t hesitate to use Lindus for your next project."

Darrell M.
Lino Lakes, MN
June 9, 2022
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