All Resources
⚡ Buyer's Guides
Gas vs Electric Water Heater — Which Should I Buy?
In Philly, gas is usually the answer if you already have a gas line to the unit. Electric makes sense for specific situations. Here's the straight comparison.
Gas — the pros
- Cheaper to operate in our market (PGW rates)
- Faster recovery — refills with hot water about twice as fast
- Works during a power outage (atmospheric units)
- Same physical footprint as electric
Gas — the cons
- Requires venting (chimney or power vent)
- More moving parts: pilot, thermocouple, gas valve
- Slightly shorter average lifespan vs electric (8–12 vs 10–15)
Electric — the pros
- Simpler — no combustion, no venting
- Cheaper to install if there's no gas line already in place
- Longer average lifespan
- Safer in a sealed mechanical room
Electric — the cons
- Higher monthly operating cost in Philadelphia
- Slow recovery — a 50-gallon can take 90 minutes to fully reheat
- Doesn't work during a power outage
⚠ The right move 95% of the time: replace gas with gas, electric with electric. Converting between fuel types adds $1,500–$3,000 in plumbing or electrical work and rarely pays back.
We install both at the same flat rate
Gas or electric, our published price is the price.