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Water Heater Types & Uses

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N Winezog
Water Heater Types & Uses

Water heaters aren't typically something most people think about until their shower is freezing cold. It's an important part of any dwelling and can absolutely start your day off wrong when they fail. There are a couple different kinds of water heaters and it’s important to decide which one is the correct one for your home. In this post, I will outline which ones work best for which homeowners and why.

Tankless or Instant Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters are exactly as they sound, without a tank. They operate in a similar way as their tank style brothers, heating the water as it passes through the unit instead of heating the water stored in the tank. Tankless units heat only the water that is going to be used for each application making them great for areas with very high energy costs. The downside of these models is that they are about the double the price of their tank style cousins, but they are expected to last about twice as long.

Solar Water Heaters

Solar water heating is an interesting method of water heating and can be incredibly useful and efficient even in cloudier climates. There are two different schools of solar water heaters: active solar water heaters and passive solar water heaters. Inside of that, each works in a couple different ways. Active through direct circulation and indirect circulation. Direct circulation means that the water is pumped through solar collectors which in turn heats the water, these are ideal for climates that don’t receive extreme cold temperatures. Indirect circulation works by circulating antifreeze through the solar collectors and a heat exchanger which heats the water. Indirect circulation technology has increased to such a point that even homeowners in the Midwest and east coast can enjoy the benefits of these amazing models! Passive solar systems also work in two different ways: Integral collector-storage systems and thermosyphon systems. Integral collector-storage systems work by solar collectors heating stored water and which flows into the homes plumbing system. Thermosyphon systems work by collecting heat from below allowing the heated water to rise and naturally flow into the plumbing system. Solar water heaters can be great for anyone looking to save a ton of money on energy costs and those who are green minded!

Tank Style Water Heaters

Tank Style water heaters are the most frequently used water heaters. Just like in the name, they use a tank that stores between 20-70 gallons of hot water. This style of water heater can be powered in a variety of different ways depending on the existing source in your home. Most often, water heaters are powered by either gas or electric power, but some models use heating oil or propane. These water heaters decide when to heat water when a gauge inside the unit determines that the temperature has dipped below the desired level. Then, the heating source kicks on to bring the temperature of the stored water back up. This process of continual heating goes on twenty-four / seven. Tank style water heaters come in a variety of sizes to accommodate the needs of the home dweller. This type of water heater is ideal in situations where energy costs are not high, and showers are shorter and less frequent. They also are a bit less expensive than their more complicated counterparts.

So, there you have it, the main types of water heaters and what they are used for! Now you’ll know what to get when your unit goes kaput!

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