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Water Heaters - Installation & Repair
Most home owners tend to purchase a water heater without taking into consideration factors like energy efficiency and running costs specific to their family’s needs. This is unfortunate because a large number of water heaters of varying models, types and at different prices are available in the market to suit individual requirements.
Storage Water Heaters
Storage water heaters heat the water in the tank to the pre set temperature and keep it hot for as often as required by automatically turning on and off as long as is necessary. Traditionally, they are not energy efficient. Ranging in size from 20 to 80 gallons and fuelled by a number of options like oil, natural gas, propane and electricity, storage water heaters are the most popular type for household heating needs in the United States. Newer, more energy efficient models of storage water heaters that significantly reduce the standby heat loss, are available. Gas water heaters generally have a higher FHR than electric water heaters i.e. the First Hour Rating or peak hour demand capacity. In other words, make an estimate of your household’s peak hour hot water requirement and buy a unit that falls within that range. Another indicator of your water heater’s cost efficiency is its Energy Factor or EF which calculates how efficiently the energy source transfers the heat to the water. The higher the Energy Factor, the more energy efficient and cost effective the water heater. Normally, electric water heaters have an EF between 0.7 and 0.95. Gas water heaters have an EF that ranges from 0.5 to 0.8. Product manuals from the manufacturer will give you details of the EP of the water heater.
Tankless Water heaters
Tankless water heaters are also known as instantaneous water heaters. Here, cold water flows into the unit and is heated by a gas powered or electric device only when there is need for hot water. Standby heat loss is therefore minimal, but flow rate is slow. Once you have decided on a water heater that is suited to your household’s heating needs, call a qualified, licensed plumber to handle its installation.
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