A water heater is a crucial part of every home as it supplies hot water to your taps and other plumbing fixtures. They play an important role in heating the water because without them, you will need to heat the water manually.
There are many types of water heaters out in the market, but broadly speaking, there are two main ways to heat water: electricity or gas. Both types of water heaters have their own merits. In this post, you will get to know the key differences between an electric water heater and a gas water heater, including their size, efficiency, and cost. But first, let’s get to know what they actually are:
What Is An Electric Water Heater ?
An electric water heater is a type of heater that uses electricity to heat the water. This means that the heating elements present inside the tank or tankless water heater unit are being powered using electricity.
Electric water heaters, especially electric instant or tankless water heaters are common in Malaysia due to their low upfront costs, efficient use of energy as well as its compact size.
What Is A Gas Water Heater ?
Gas water heaters are another type of water heaters available in Malaysia, although not as common as electric water heaters. As the name implies, water is being heated using gas, typically by burning fuel, usually natural gas.
Usually, it works as soon as you open a hot water pipe. Upon opening the tap, a sensor detects the flow of water, which leads to turning on the gas burner. As a result, water gets heated up and you can get warm water from the tap.
Electric Heater
Gas Heater
Comparison Between Electric & Gas Water Heaters
A. Water Heater Cost
One of the key differences between electric and gas water heaters is the cost. Electric water heaters typically cost less to purchase. As it has fewer parts, and does not include a gas regulator and burner, so it leads to a slightly lower upfront cost.
The average monthly cost for running electric or gas water heaters depends on how much water you use, the size of your home, or the price of electricity or gas at that time. In general, the monthly cost to run gas water heaters is comparatively less than electric water heaters as gas price tend to be slightly cheaper than electricity.
Considering the operating cost of both heaters, you may be inclined to think that gas water heaters are always cheaper than electric heaters. But that is not necessarily so. Why? Because while everyone has natural gas pipes in their homes, the gas pipes typically lead to the kitchen. If you wish to have a gas water heater, you will need to fork out extra cash to extend the pipes to the location where you want to install your water heater. Moreover, for safety purposes, gas water heaters are typically installed outside of the bathroom. This means that the installer or plumber will have to put in extra effort to find installation space outside of the bathroom. Hence, while the daily operating cost of a gas water heater is low, the upfront and installation costs tend to be higher, which explains why water heaters in Malaysia are largely powered by electricity.
B. Environment-Friendly Nature / Energy Efficiency
If you are looking for a hot water heater that is friendly to the environment, you need to consider the ecological impact of both types of heaters. Comparing electric and gas water heaters, electric water heaters tend to be friendlier to the environment. This is because electricity can come from various renewable energy sources such as hydro-electricity or solar power. Hence, when you choose to use electricity to power your water heater, you are doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint.
On the other hand, gas water heaters can only be powered through natural gas. The process of extracting a gas itself is damaging to the environment as it emits many greenhouse gases. Moreover, gas water heaters are less efficient than electric heaters, hence less friendly to the environment.
C. Water Heater Size
When it comes to water heater sizes, there are two main categories to choose from: tank or tankless. Tank water heaters tend to take up more space, and require a longer heating time, but they offer you consistent hot water and pressure. On the other hand, tankless water heaters are more compact in size, but water pressure leaves much to be desired for.
Typically, an electric tankless water heater is smaller in size, and can easily fit onto the wall of your bathroom. On the other hand, gas tankless water heaters, although tankless, is still considerably larger in size as compared to electric tankless water heaters. This is because gas water heaters have more parts such as a gas burner, regulator, and other feature to prevent gas leakage. Moreover, since the gas water heater has to be installed outside of your home, you’ll need to account for space for pipes exiting your home, which may take more space. So, if you are short of space, you may want to consider installing an electric water heater in Malaysia.
| Difference Points | Gas Water Heaters | Electric Water Heaters |
| Operating cost | Lower | Higher |
| Energy efficiency | Less | Most |
| Size | Large | Compact in size |
