There isn’t much need to know about the workings of a water heater to use water heater correctly: after all, it all comes down to just pressing switches to make work a water heater, and the repair, if needed any time, is taken care of by a mechanic. However, a little knowledge about the working would assist one in comparing several water heaters while buying, and, at times saving an individual from paying a mechanic unnecessarily.
Primarily, there are four types of residential water heaters: tank-type, hybrid, tank-less, and point-of-use. The most popular type of water heater is the tank type, while tankless water heaters are not much behind, given their recent rise in popularity among consumers. The latest Hybrid models are worth every penny considering their optimized energy efficiency. And point-of-use heaters are unique in their feature of distributing hot water to faucets and appliances spread far across the home, far from the main water heater.
Tank-type water heaters
A great number of consumers prefer conventional tank-type water heaters, which run by either gas or electricity. Even though gas water heaters are more expensive to buy than electric models, it costs less to operate because gas is cheaper than electricity. However, in regards to efficiency, electric water heaters have the edge over gas models in having higher energy-factor ratings.
A tank-type heater has a large insulated storage tank that works as a container of hot water for a long time. Cold water pours into the bottom of the tank and is heated by either a gas flame below the tank or an electric substance installed inside the tank. The water temperature could be adjusted by an adjustable thermostat. A pressure-relief valve regulates any increment of pressure in the tank.
When hot water has opted at the faucet or appliance, heated water is pushed out from the top of the tank and through the home’s hot-water supply pipes. As the water level falls in the tank, it’s replenished with cold water, and the whole process is repeated.
Hybrid water heaters
A hybrid water heater is a modified type of tank-type heater that comes with an electric heat pump. The pump is installed at the head of the water-storage tank and it requires a compact compressor and evaporator coil to convey heat from the room air and transfer it to the cold water that gets poured in. Consequently, a hybrid model requires 60% less energy than a conventional water heater.
But, there is a catch for such high efficiency: A hybrid water heater costs almost twice as much as a standard water heater, but lower electric bills in following years offset the purchasing cost, to a fiscal advantage over time.
Tankless water heaters
Tankless water heaters are packed units that can be hung on the wall and provide hot water for the whole house and are not merely restricted to a few faucets. They are commonly known as instantaneous or on-demand water heaters. On top of that, this type of water heater does not require any bulky storage tank.
A tankless water heater is initiated when a hot water tap is opened in the house. Then, cold water flows into the unit, and the flow sensor switches on an electric heating element or gas-fired burner, which heats an internal heat exchanger. As the cold water flows over the heat exchanger it’s warmed to the temperature that was previously set. Hot water then flows out of the heater and travels directly to the faucet or appliance—not to a storage tank. Combustion gases that are produced by gas-fired units are weakened through a meticulously sealed vent pipe.
When the hot-water tap is deactivated, the heater gets turned off, and therein lies the remarkable feature of tankless water heaters: On account of having no storage tank to keep filled, tankless models heat water when it’s switched on to do so. Consequently, a tankless water heater supplies 40 gallons of hot water daily while using about 34% less energy than a standard water heater.
Point of use water heater
Contrary to the earlier mentioned water heaters that provide hot water to the entire house, point-of-use water heaters are tight, tankless models that deliver hot water immediately to specific locations, such as a bathroom sink or shower.
This type of electric heater is commonly established at fixtures located far from the main water heater. Its biggest remarkability is that it gets rid of the all-to-common irritation of opening the tap and then waiting for hot water, thus saving precious energy and time.
