| Water is heated for two purposes in residential | | | | many people are switching to better ways to |
| applications. The first is to heat water for | | | | heat there water. |
| domestic use. Such a cleaning, washing, cooking, | | | | A hot water heater requires a chimney for the |
| showers and bathing. The second is to heat water | | | | flue gases to flow to the outside (except power |
| to be a medium for carrying that heat to a room | | | | vent and direct vent water heaters, these can be |
| then releasing the heat into that room to keep us | | | | piped out the wall). Water heaters also have an |
| warm. | | | | anode rod to protect the tank, a dip tube to allow |
| Water heater| hot water tanks | | | | the cold water to flow to the bottom of the |
| Heating water for domestic use is done with hot | | | | tank, a gas valve, burner and a relief valve. |
| water tanks, tankless water heaters, or indirect | | | | NEVER plug a relief valve. This is the largest cause |
| water heaters. | | | | of water heater explosions. Water when heated |
| Tankless water heaters | | | | to boiling changes to steam. When this happens |
| Tankless water heaters are becoming more | | | | the water expands 1700 times and with no where |
| common in North America, although these have | | | | to go the tank has to blow up. Usually the bottom |
| been used in other parts of the world for years. | | | | is what bursts and the water heater becomes a |
| This kind of water heater does not have any | | | | rocket shooting through the roof in a two story |
| water in a tank. If you do not have a tank then | | | | building. |
| you will not have to continually keep that water | | | | For more info got Hot water tanks: |
| heated as the water will always cool even when | | | | Indirect water heaters--An indirect water heater |
| not in use. The cooling process is caused by heat | | | | uses a boiler to heat the water that flows |
| from the water warming the air in the flue, then | | | | through the inside of a coil of pipe which in turns |
| the hot air rises and is displaced by cooler air | | | | heats the domestic water through conduction. |
| which is in turn heated by the hot water | | | | These are very efficient, have a fast response |
| (convection heat just like baseboard heating). This | | | | time and out last a standard water heater more |
| air will flow up the flue and spill out into the room. | | | | than three to one. The response time is very |
| Also the water in the tank will cool as heat | | | | quick giving you more than enough hot water. In |
| conducts through the tank and into the room. This | | | | my opinion these are the best water heaters on |
| cooling process is called standby loss and because | | | | the market. The biggest problem is that you need |
| of this process your water heater is at best 55% | | | | a boiler to heat the water therefore the cost can |
| efficient. | | | | be high compared to a normal water heater. If |
| Tankless water heaters are more efficient than | | | | you are renovating and going to install hot water |
| hot water tanks because of the heating process. | | | | heating of any sort, such as a fan coil instead of |
| A hot water heater will heat the bottom of the | | | | a high efficient furnace, then this is the way to go |
| tank and the center of the tank, with most of | | | | Water heating | Heating your home |
| the energy leaving the tank up the flue. Where as | | | | Heating water to heat your home is best done |
| a tankless water heater heats a coil of pipes | | | | with a boiler. The reason I say this is that a boiler |
| inside of a heat exchanger similar to that of a | | | | is meant to heat water in an efficient manner, |
| boiler. This heat exchanger is made up of small | | | | while your water heat is not. A standard water |
| tubes that heat up very fast. | | | | heater has an efficiency of 65% to 70% including |
| A tankless water heater will also modulate the | | | | standby losses. A standard boiler runs at about |
| burner. So if you need only a small demand the | | | | 80%. The boilers I install have an efficiency rating |
| tankless heater will only give you a small flame. | | | | of between 85% and 98% depending on the |
| And if you need a larger demand a tankless | | | | system and time of year. So you could use a |
| water heater will give you a larger flame. | | | | water heater to heat your home (check with local |
| Hot Water Tanks | | | | codes), but the lifespan is much less and your |
| Hot water tanks are the most common form in | | | | heating bill will be much greater. Not worth the |
| North America to heat your domestic water. | | | | $2500 to $3500 difference between the two. (my |
| These tanks have been around for a very long | | | | opinion). You could use a tankless water heater, |
| time and have not changed much until recently. | | | | but you will need two or three if you are heating |
| Most homes use a 40 to 50 US gallon water | | | | your domestic water as well. |
| heater. Between high energy costs and pollution | | | | |