Gas Geyser vs Electric Geyser – Which is the Best Water Heater?

When it comes to buying a water heater, or more commonly known as a geyser, you have a few options to choose from. You can always get the electric kind, that is most commonly found in every household, or you could invest in a gas geyser, which are not that common, but provide quite extensive uses. While both types of water heaters provide you with similar uses, how they go about doing that is different. If you are wondering which is a better appliance – gas geyser vs electric geyser, here is a review to make things that much clearer.

Also, do remember that electric geysers can be easily purchased, while gas geysers are not only hard to find, but also difficult to install.

Gas Geyser vs Electric Geyser – Which one is Better?

Water heaters are a must have in every household. Even warmer places like Delhi can get incredibly cold during the winter months, and the need for a good geyser arises. Consider them an investment since like any other home appliances, water heaters also tend to last a very long time, decades even.

The question now remains – gas geyser vs electric geyser, which one is better for you? Let us take a deep dive into it and see what both of them come with. If you are looking for the top 10 best water heater in India, chances are most of them are actually electric in nature. That is just due to the ease of use and due to their availability.

Electric Geysers – An Overview

Electric geysers are the most common ones available in the market. They are thoroughly used by consumers and have been a trusted appliance for a while now.

As you might understand, electric geysers run on electricity to heat the water inside. There are multiple kinds of electric water heaters available in the market, including storage water heaters and instant water heaters. While their function remains the same, how they reach there is slightly different.

Mostly, electric water heaters come with a tank of varying size and inside there is an element that heats up, heating the water around it. The tank is used for storing water, and once it is filled and the geyser is turned on, the element inside slowly heats the water for you to use.

The new models of electric water heaters now even come with thermostats so you can easily control the temperature of your geyser.

How does an Electric Geyser work?

When it comes to the functioning of electric geysers, they are pretty simple appliances. The electric water heater comes with a tank to store water and a heating element that is responsible for heating the water inside. Two water hoses are connected to the taps, one for water inlet, and the other to let out the heated water.

Once you switch on the geyser, the tank is filled with water and the heating element inside slowly brings the water to temperature. The light on the geyser tells you if the geyser is still running or if the water has been heated to desired temperatures. In most models, green light means the water is still heating, and when it turns to red, it means the desired temperature has been reached.

Once the geyser is done, simply turn on the outlet faucet and enjoy your hot water!

Also read: Best Geysers: Guides, Reviews & Comparisons

Electric Geyser Maintenance

When it comes to the maintenance of an electric heater, things are are a lot easier than you would find in a gas geyser. The thing is, gas geysers get a bad rep for being unsafe. Now, while electric geysers can also break down easily, their safety is hardly a concern.

That said, you can do a lot on your part to make sure you do have to, first, spend a lot of money on maintenance as you keep using the appliance, and second, increase the life expectancy of the geyser as well.

A good, branded geyser will easily last you 10 years of service with minimal maintenance if you use it well. Just keep in mind these few things if you are going to invest in an electric geyser and plan to use it for a while.

First of all, placement can be key when installing a geyser. Make sure there is enough wiggle room around your geyser so that you can fit in all the parts in without cramming anything together. Keep it in open space so that any maintenance runs can be easily managed. The minor ones can even be managed by you with a little bit of know-how, so make sure you install your geyser, or preferably get it installed, in a manner that best suits the default procedure.

Maintaining an electric geyser is rather straightforward, and we mentioned earlier how easy it is to get someone to repair an electric geyser, given how common they are in households.

You just need to make sure that you use it effectively and not let it running for hours on end. Use it smartly and if you find some issue, make sure you get a professional to help instead of doing it yourself. Also, if you would want to use your geyser all year round, make sure you get an annual maintenance done just to be sure. There are multiple ways you can do that with all the third-parties that can send a professional for regular a check up without costing that much either.

📌Also Read: Best instant geyser in India

Components of an Electric Geyser

A basic electric water heater, comes with a few parts and components. While these might differ from model to model, most fully fledged geysers do come with these components.

• Storage tank – The storage tank holds water to be heated. It has two hoses that connect to it, one for letting cold water in, and the other to bring the hot water out.
• Heating element – The heating element in an electric geyser heats the water inside. This element can be compared to those you find in convection ovens, or even your room heaters. The heating element slowly degrades as you use it, so make sure you get it checked once every few years to make sure it is all working well.
• Water inlet and outlet – The third primary component for an electric geyser are the water inlets. One that brings cold water into the system, while the other one brings it out for use. Make sure your inlet valve is open always so that your geyser always has water to heat in the tank.
• Thermostat – While not all models come with a thermostat, latest machines and ones that are expensive generally do come with a controllable thermostat to fix the temperature of the water according to your preferences.

There are obviously more parts to the geyser like a few valves and tubes, but for us consumers, those parts are not important to give note to.

Gas Geysers – An Overview

On the other hand, gas geysers, though not very common, are actually much more cheaper to run than electric water heaters. They make use of LPG to heat the water and bring it to you whenever you are in need, and much like instant water heaters, gas geysers can also provide instant running hot water as soon as you turn them on.

Firstly, you should understand the concerns regarding gas geysers and why they are not as common as electric ones. Gas geysers can be quite dangerous is not set up properly. Since you are working with flammable gas, there are chances it might leak and be a potential hazard. This is one of the biggest reasons for people not using gas geysers. You need a more ventilated bathroom for those as well, and therefore city houses simply cannot have a gas geyser without any risks involved.

One of the best parts about a gas geyser is the instant hot water you can receive.

How does a Gas Geyser work?

Gas geysers are tankless and can provide a continuous stream of running hot water. As soon as you open the connected hot water tap, a sensor that detects water flow switches on the gas burner. The heat exchanger comes into action and uses the heat to bring up the temperature of the flowing water.

Some models even come with a thermostat to control the temperature of the water according to your requirements. Gas geysers are actually much more effective than electric water heaters, since there is little to no loss of energy. Electric water heaters need to be switched on first and until they have heated the water, you wouldn’t want to use it. Gas geysers on the other hand are instant and provide heated water as soon as you turn on the faucet.

Gas Geyser Maintenance

So, now here is the thing. Maintaining a gas geyser is insanely difficult, if you do not use it well enough. It requires a little bit of active consideration on your part, but if you can, you must make sure your gas geyser is well maintained. Then there is the question of replacing the gas every once in a while.

Gas geysers are best used as full-home geysers. Meaning a geyser that can handle the load of the entire house. More than electricity, these geysers obviously use gas as their primary source of heat to be transferred to the water. They can come with a tank to store water for heating, but mainly you will find gas geysers providing instant heating function. Like switch on the plug to start up the burners in the geyser, turn on the faucet, and hot water directly at your service.

That said, gas geysers need to be maintained well to function well and safely, might I add. To make sure your gas geyser is working perfectly, keep in mind a few things.

1. Make sure all the pipes leading in and out are defrosted if you live in a cold region where water might freeze in the pipes. Do this every winter and make it a scheduled. If you do not, there is huge chance of the geyser bursting.
2. Replace the gas if you hear the ticking sound. Most gas geysers tick when they are out of gas, and if you are, simply replace it. As a rule of thumb, 9kg of gas lasts around 2 weeks at max. Get a cylinder to last as long as your requirements need from it.

📌Also Read: Best immersion rod in India

Components of a Gas Geyser

Gas geysers are slightly different than electric geysers. They might function the same way as electric geysers, but their components are quite different.

• Gas burner – The gas burner is the most important part of the gas geyser. It is responsible for the flame and it sits right below the heat exchanger. In certain models, you can even see the flame inside from a window to make sure everything is working well. A yellow or white flame means there is some combustion problem that needs to be addressed.
• Combustion chamber – The chamber where the combustion occurs. This is a controlled environment and any issues with this section of the geyser should be addresses immediately. The chamber also comes with a fan to encourage the combustion process.
• Heat exchanger – The heat exchanger transfers the heat from the burner to the running water in the tap. As the water flows through the heat exchanger, it is heated to preset temperatures.
• Ignition system – The ignition system works with and without electricity, ideally. This system makes sure the gas burners are on when the appliance is in use.
• Control panel – Much like a thermostat, the control panel also notifies you of any errors or problems your appliance might be facing.
• Ventilation – Vents bring in oxygen from the outside for combustion and passes out the residual gases out of the house. If the vent breaks down, you should not use the geyser without first fixing that.
• Sensors – Since safety can be an issue with gas geysers, there are multiple sensors it comes with to ensure that everything is working fine. There is a flame sensor to notify the system to turn off the gas in case the flame goes off. A water sensor to ensure ample flow of water. And an overheat sensor to check for the water being overheated.

Gas Geyser vs Electric Geyser – Comparison Table

Now, when comparing the two, you might to dig deeper into what your requirements are. If you want a basic water heater that can provide ample functionality without proving a hassle, electric water heaters are great. However, if you are building a house and want a heated water system, a gas geyser could really be helpful to your cause.

For the rest of the information, refer to this table.

📌 You might also like these articles:

– Instant vs storage water heater
– Difference between water heater and geyser

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

So, when it comes to water heaters, there are two great options to choose from, but which one to purchase? Gas geyser vs electric geyser can be a difficult proposition for people who understand the benefits and limitations of both. While electric geysers are the most common and prove great for every household, a more holistic approach is what a gas geyser provides. They can be tricky to use however, and their installation is not easy at all. But that said, the still prove more efficient than electric geysers, along with a few safety concerns that can only be solved if you maintain them properly.

So, here are the differences between the two. Both appliances function well and prove highly functional, but your requirements will dictate which one you would purchase eventually.