Here's a very detailed article that explains the 5 types of water heaters, including conventional, tankless, solar, heat pump, and condensing types. Learn everything you need to know about water heaters.
Don't be ashamed of not knowing anything about heating systems until, of course, you have to. Worse still, there are many different types on the market such as electric water heaters, solar water heaters, watertight water heaters, conventional water heaters, storage tank water heaters, gas heaters, tankless systems for heating the high-efficiency water and water.
If you are looking to buy a new water heater for your home and wondering what your options are, then you have found the right place.
Main Water Heaters
There are five main styles of water heaters available, and each has its benefits and potential drawbacks. Here's a bit of each style of water heater to help you choose which one is best for you and your home.
1. Conventional Storage-Tank Water Heater
This style of water heater is the most popular and probably the one you are most familiar with.
What Is A Conventional Storage-Tank Water Heater?
This style of water heater has a tank that holds water for heating. This means that the tank capacity determines how much hot water you have available at one time. The tank is insulated so that when the water is heated, it stays hot until needed.
This tank has two valves:
- Temperature control valve.
- The pressure control valve.
The temperature control valve opens to release heat and moderate temperature when the water reaches more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The pressure release valve opens to decrease the pressure when it reaches approximately 150 psi.
This is the most common type of water heater among family homes, but it is limited by the amount of hot water it can hold. If your tank is too small or if you need an excessive amount of hot water one day, it may run out and you have to wait for the next tank to heat up.
What Maintenance Is Required?
Because the tank works to constantly store water, you will need to clean it regularly to increase the life of your water heater. You should clean your water heater tank up to twice a year to remove sediment and mineral scale and help reduce corrosion.
This is not required and your water heater will likely work without being cleaned, but it may not last as long. The typical lifespan of a conventional storage-tank water heater is around twelve years.
What Are The Benefits Of This Style Of Water Heater?
This conventional style of water heater is typically the most affordable style and is also fairly easy to install.
What Are The Downsides To Buying A Conventional Storage-Tank Water Heater?
This style of water heater only holds a specific amount of water at a time. This amount is based on its capacity, which means that a 150-litre tank will provide you with a continuous flow of 150 litres of hot water before it runs out. However, once the hot water is gone, it can take a while, sometimes an hour or more, to refill and reheat another 40 litres of water.
2. Tankless Water Heater
The "tankless" water heater features modern technology and can provide almost infinite hot water for your home.
What Is A Tankless Water Heater?
A tankless water heater, as you can probably guess, does not have a tank. Instead, there are superheated coils that fill with water and heat the water in an instant when you need it, which is why it is also known as an on-demand water heater. This is excellent for heating water quickly, even for large families who need a lot of hot water at one time.
This style of water heater comes in different sizes, and you will need to make sure you are the correct size for your home, as a smaller tankless water heater will not be able to keep up with its water consumption resulting in warm or cold water.
These models work well in homes that use natural gas to power their water heater, but the larger models require a larger gas line and more gas to function properly.
What Kind Of Maintenance Do They Need?
Although there is no tank, you should clean your tankless water heater at least once a year to remove mineral scale and prevent corrosion. Cleaning can be more difficult as the parts are smaller and more difficult to access. The lifespan of this style of water heater is 8-10 years.
What Are The Benefits Compared To Other Styles Of Water Heaters?
Tankless water heaters are incredibly energy efficient because they only heat water on demand instead of keeping it warm all day, even when not in use. Assuming you get a large enough model for your home, you will have unlimited hot water all the time.
What Disadvantages Does It Have?
The initial investment in buying a tankless hot water heater is significantly higher than the more traditional style and may require larger gas lines or more wattage than your home has (not always), which can be an expensive renovation. At ComercilaFoisa we make a budget without obligation.
3. Heat Pump Water Heater
This hybrid water heater can help save money on electricity because it does not generate heat directly.
What Is A Hybrid Heat Pump / Water Heater?
This style of water heater is unique in that it uses heat in the air and in the ground to heat the water. This means that electricity is only used to move heat from the ground or air into the water, rather than the alternative where electricity is used to generate heat.
Heat pump water heaters can use up to 60 per cent less electricity than traditional styles of water heaters. Because the pump is on top, you may need quite a bit of room for this water heater, sometimes up to eight feet of vertical space.
Does It Also Have Maintenance?
This water heater has a tank and, like conventional storage-tank water heaters, it should be cleaned regularly (up to twice a year) to extend its life.
What Are The Benefits Of The Hybrid Heat Pump/Water Heaters?
This water heater is incredibly energy efficient and therefore can be incredibly profitable in the long run.
What Disadvantages Does This Type Of Heater Have?
Because this style of water heater relies on drawing heat from the ground or the air around it, it will not perform very well in cold spaces such as basements or in climates where the cold is excessive for long periods of time throughout the year.
4. Solar-Powered Water Heater
A solar-powered water heater allows you to draw energy from the sun. This is a great idea if you already have solar panels or are considering installing them.
What Is A Solar-Powered Water Heater?
This style of water heater may be the most efficient of all and relies on roof-mounted solar panels as its source of energy. The energy is transferred to a closed-loop system that contains a heat-conducting material, which then heats the water in the tank.
This can save a lot of money on sunny days and works especially well for those who live in hot, sunny climates. However, this system often requires a backup plan, such as natural gas or electricity, so that the water heater can continue to operate on cloudy days.
What Kind Of Maintenance Should Be Done?
Again, this system has a tank, which must be cleaned regularly to remove scale and prevent corrosion. The need for maintenance of solar panels should also be considered.
What Are The Benefits?
These water heaters are very energy efficient and therefore are also very environmentally friendly. You can save a few euros each month on electricity if the sun is capable of generating most of the energy for your water heater.
What Disadvantages Does It Have?
These solar-powered water heaters are incredibly expensive and it can sometimes take up to 40 years to see a return on your investment. In unfavourable weather conditions where there is little to no sun, you may need an alternative power source for your water heater, which can be a hassle.
5. Condensing Water Heater
This water heater uses the unused gas fumes from your home to heat the water.
What Is A Condensing Water Heater?
The condensing water heater may be the best option if your family's home primarily uses natural gas as an energy source. This type of water heater channels the exhaust from the natural gas system and uses it to heat the water, which is kept in a tank like the conventional version of the water heater.
The gas fumes are channelled through a coil placed at the bottom of the tank to heat the water. Therefore, very little energy (other than gas already burned elsewhere, such as by your furnace or heater) is used to heat the water in your home. It is a tank-type water heater, so you will need to make sure you buy one large enough for your family size.
What Kind Of Maintenance Needs To Be Done?
Like the other styles, there is a tank to clean. This style may also require your import gas valves to be cleaned once a year.
What Are The Benefits Of This Style Of Water Heater?
This is often the most energy-efficient version for families who heat their home with natural gas. In general, there is a lot of water to circulate, as this type of water heater generally requires a larger tank.
Are There Any Downsides To This Style?
This style of water heater is not readily available in smaller models and works best for families who need a capacity of more than 208 litres. It also won't be the best option for homes that don't run on natural gas.
Reasons To Replace Your Water HeaterThere are a few things to know to help you determine if you need to replace your water heater. Of course, if it's not working, it's a no-brainer. But you may think that it is not working properly and that it really needs a replacement. If this is your case you should consider this:
Your Heater Is Out Of WarrantyA good way to know when it may be time for renewal is when you have exceeded your warranty, which will depend on each manufacturer. Not only are you no longer covered to repair your water heater in the event of sudden damage, but your water heater's design is also likely quite out of date and consuming much more energy than necessary.
This could be causing you to spend excess money every month without you even noticing. If your water heater has exceeded its life expectancy, it may be time to renew it and replace it with a more modern and efficient one.
Your Water Heater Is LeakingUsually when your water heater leaks, you will need a technician to fix the problem. This can be really expensive and time-consuming. Sometimes water heater leaks can be hard to find. If you have a leak, you can have a technician check it. If the leak is very serious, you will probably be better off buying a new water heater rather than paying to repair the leak.
You Run Out Of Hot Water When You Need It
If you are frequently showering with lukewarm water or running out of hot water while washing dishes, you may not have a water heater large enough to exceed the volume of hot water your family uses. This means that you may need a change to a water heater with a larger tank.
Regulations Have Changed
Another reason you may need a new water heater is if it no longer meets your community's building codes. You should check the regulations regularly.
What To Consider When Choosing A Water Heater
WarrantyWater heater warranties can vary greatly in both cost and duration. Because your water heater is an integral part of your family's daily life, you should always pay close attention to the terms of the warranty when choosing a new water heater.
In case it's damaged, you might be able to get a new one for almost no money. Warranty ranges are generally 2 to 10 years, but you can find manufacturers that offer a warranty of up to 12 years. If you own your home, you might consider a longer warranty, even if you have to pay a little more, to avoid surprise costs in the future. Because water heaters can break and are so important, we suggest that you choose the longest warranty available.
Drain Valves Plastic or Brass?
The drain valve is located near the bottom of your water heater and is used to drain the water heater prior to maintenance or to facilitate lifting while moving it. This valve is typically made of brass or plastic. In the event that you need to replace the drain valve on your water heater, or if you are purchasing a new water heater, you will need to decide which type to use.
Both plastic and brass are particularly profitable options. Plastic can be less reactive, although neither material is corrosive. Brass is much more durable than plastic, and it is also more malleable, so it will take more damage. Brass is not affected by temperature change as can plastic. This is not an important decision, but it is a decision that you will need to make.
Anti Lime DevicesLime can cause damage to your water heater and other water-consuming appliances. Some manufacturers include anti-scale devices in their water heater. This device moves the water at the bottom of the tank.
Constantly moving water is less prone to mineral build-up, which can increase the life of your water heater. This feature may work, but there are other factors besides mineral build-up that can damage your water heater.
It is not necessary to buy a water heater with an anti-scale device if the heater has a long warranty, you probably don't need one.
Glass-Lined TanksThere are some water heaters that include a glass lining inside them. This coating is actually porcelain enamel and helps protect the water heater (which is usually made of steel) from corrosion.
Enamel coating can do wonders in extending the life of your water heater, but due to the coating process, areas of steel are still more often exposed. The ceramic enamel coating is becoming increasingly popular and may even be a standard design for some manufacturers today.
Again, this is not a priority factor, but it could definitely slow down the corrosion process inside the water heater tank.
Digital displays
Digital display water heaters are convenient because you can easily adjust the water heater settings to suit your personal needs. You can easily adjust the water heater output, water temperature, and some models even have a scheduling function.
Water heaters without the digital display will often only show basic readings, such as general temperature and water pressure. The digital display is definitely a modern feature of the water heater and very practical.
CapacityDetermining the capacity of your water heater tank depends solely on the number of people using water in your home. It can be difficult to determine how big the tank you will need will be, as each person's water consumption can vary greatly.
An example calculation could be the following:
- If you are only one or two people in your home, a 100-litre tank should be enough.
- If your house has two or three people, you may need a 150-litre water heater tank.
- If your house has three or four people, you should opt for something larger, around 190 litres.
- For more than five people, you should consider a tank that holds 210 litres or more.
- For eight or more people, you may need two water heaters to supply enough hot water for your home.
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