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A water heater is useful in any space because it heats water that goes to the tub, sink, shower and other appliances. The ones that are used in general go for 10 % to 18 % of utility bills each month.
There are many types of water heaters and people tend to ignore them until they break and there is no more hot water. When you need to replace the old one you want to make sure you choose an energy-efficient water heater that is going to provide sufficient water through the entire house.
Like anything else, technology also plays a role when we speak about types of water heaters so today you have more options than ever to choose from. Homeowners replace their old water heater most of the time with one that is similar and that runs on gas or electricity.
If you are making a new space and you want to add a new one going for tankless water heater can be a better choice if we check the budget size. Let’s explore more about types of water heaters.
Things to Consider When Buying a Water Heater
Getting a new water heater is not a common thing to do because they get broken quite hard. But when this happens and you need to choose a type of water heater that you want to use you need to consider energy efficiency if you want to save money. Go for the right size and you shouldn’t have any problems in your home.
When you are choosing the best type and model of a water heater check for the following:
Storage Type
Tank storage water heaters are the most popular option even today in the United States and they operate continually by heating and storing hot water and after they release it out.
You can save quite a lot of energy consumptions if you go for a tankless water heater that is electric or gas powered so make sure to check this type out.
Energy efficiency
If you want to increase your cost savings you need to understand how energy efficient these types of water heaters can be. Check the site of different providers and see how energy efficient they are before making your choice.
It’s a great way to understand better the market and see what your expectations should be for this.
Storage Capacity
A lot of tank water heaters get evaluated by how many gallons they actually can hold. The first-hour rating and the gallons-per-minute rating for storage-tank water heaters will show you fast if the water is heated and when it starts to come.
Space
Space is an important criterion when choosing the types of water heaters that you might want to go for. There are many that can fit small spaces and they are usually the electric ones. The well-known ones are the lowboys, units that are shorter and wider compared to a normal one and they allow to hold the same amount of water together with their counterparts.
Tall Heaters have from 55 to 70 inches and can hold even 100 gallons of water. They can go well in a basement or garage where there is no problem with space.
5 Main Types of Water Heater
Conventional Storage Tank Water Heater
This type of water heaters has a big tank that holds water to be heated. If you know the capacity of the tank you will know how much water you have available at once. The tank is insulated so that when the water gets heated it will remain so until it is needed. This tank has two valves, one for the temperature control and the other for the pressure control.
Usually, water heater options need regular maintenance if you want them to work efficiently over the years. Sometimes they need to be flushed in order to get out any sediment so do this at least one time per year.
If we look at the statistical life expectancy for these types of water heaters, they usually last 10-12 years depending on how much is invested in care or maintenance. As the tank works almost non-stop you need to clean it if you want to make it last for a longer period of time. Try to go for a twice a year clean in order to remove any sediment or mineral scale.
Tankless Water Heater (On-Demand Water Heater)
Tankless water heaters work by having intense flashes of heat against water-filled coils and they heat the water on demand. Tankless water heaters are incredibly energy efficient because they heat the water on demand and don’t hold it the entire day even if it is not being used.
So, these types of water heaters can be adapted to provide a continuous flow of hot water and this means they can be a great choice for a big family that uses a lot of hot water. They go better with natural gas but sometimes might need the installment of a bigger diameter gas line.
If you go for the electric type of water heaters that are tankless you might need to upgrade the home’s electrical capacity.
Heat Pump Water Heater (Hybrid Water Heater)
These types of water heaters get air and transfer it to the water and this means that electricity is used to move the heat from the ground to the water. These pump water heaters use up to 60 percent less electricity compared with classic water heaters.
Because the heat pump is on top a hybrid water heater needs as much as 7 feet of clearance from floor to ceiling. You will also need a lot of space to capture heat from the air so this might be a bit challenging to get especially if you don’t really have space around.
This means that they will not work well in cold spaces because of the pump will not as much as 7-foot clearance from floor to ceiling.
Solar Powered Water Heater
This type of water heater can be used by mounting it to a light-exposed area. It absorbs the sun’s heat and it transfers it to an antifreeze-like fluid that stays in a closed-loop system. After that, this goes to the water tank and starts heating the water. They are best to use in the summer so they work great in warm and sunny places.
The main ones that are used are:
– Direct circulation system that has a pump that circulates water through solar collectors and into a storage tank
– Indirect circulation systems: A pump circulates that antifreeze solution we were talking about and directs heat to the water
If you have access to a water heater expert you can find out which type of solar heather might work for your home and what budget will be needed in order to get it.
Condensing Water Heater
Check these types of water heaters that are called the Condensing ones. They work with gas and have a capacity of 55 gallons. They have a tank like a conventional storage-tank water heater but they capture the hoot exhaust gases that normally would be expelled from your home out the flu.
If you use it you will surely have an efficient source of heated water and you can surely count on it.
Ending thoughts on the types of water heaters that are out there
In conclusion, there are many types of water heaters on the market today and finding the right one depends on the space that you want to install it and what will your needs be. Make sure to do some research when choosing the one that you are going to get.
If you enjoyed reading this article about the ideas on the types of water heaters, you should read these as well:
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