How to choose a water heater?

In the summer, in multi-storey buildings, quite often there are interruptions with tap water. Repair work carried out by public utilities usually takes several weeks, so many people have to forget about the comfortable environment. By installing a water heating device, you can solve this problem. In today's market there is a wide variety of boiler models. To make the right choice, you need to know the positive and negative sides of each type of water heater. In this article we will look at how to choose a water heater and which model will be the most optimal.

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Classification principles

To make it easier to understand the diversity of such equipment, you need to clearly imagine the criteria by which the classification is performed. The criteria and varieties will be as follows.

According to the principle of energy consumption, they distinguish:

• electrical devices;
• gas water heaters.

According to the criterion of size and volume of water supply, there are:

• large-sized devices for heating water;
• compact devices.

Important! The devices can heat up to ten liters of tap water, and up to a thousand liters of water per hour.

According to the management principle, they share:

• elementary constructions with manual control;
• complex systems with an electronic control system that allows you to regulate and control the temperature of the water.

By installation method:

• Some water heaters are hung on the wall.
• There are options that can be installed on the floor.

It is also possible to systematize water heating systems by size, coefficient of performance, and functionality. Also, devices for heating water can be classified by structural properties and installation options.

According to the method of water supply

Electric heaters for water in their design and method of heating are divided into several types:

• storage water heaters;
• flow devices;
• flow-storage devices.

The appearance of water heaters is very similar, since these are cylindrical or rectangular devices, and on the main panel there is a regulating knob that adjusts the temperature.

Important! Storage water heaters of very large dimensions, as they are designed to heat large quantities of water. Flow-saving devices consist of the advantages of two types of electric heaters for water.

Further we will consider some of the most popular types of water heaters in more detail.

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Instantaneous water heaters

A compact device adapted for instant heating of water is called instantaneous water heating equipment, and such systems are highly effective in operation.

Operating principle

Cold running water entering the heating device passes through a flask into which a heating element is integrated. With this process, an instant effect of heating to 50-60 degrees occurs.

In the compact equipment case, the high power of the copper heating element, which contributes to the instant heating process.

Where applicable

Instantaneous water heater perfectly solves the problem of hot water supply only if there is one point of water intake. If there are several water points, then the water passing through the water heater does not have time to warm up to the desired temperature. This equipment is reliable and durable in operation.

Important! It is recommended to choose a water heater with a flow system if it is necessary for use with a short absence of hot water in apartments and houses, as well as kindergartens, schools and other institutions, and not on an ongoing basis.

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Accumulative water heaters

Manufacturers produce storage models, the water volume of which can reach up to 10,000 liters. In residential apartments, these models are used with a smaller tank capacity of 8 to 200 liters, while taking into account the number of permanent residents.

Important! Such units for heating water take up a lot of free space on the wall or on the floor, but in the apartment there is always the possibility of using hot water.

The device and principle of operation

The storage water heater can be in the form of a round or elongated insulated tank, and a heating element is located inside the tank. The TENA device promotes heating of water to a certain temperature, which is in the range from 35 to 85 degrees. For two to three hours, the temperature regime remains constant.

If water cools down and the temperature changes by only 0.5 degrees, the water heater automatically starts for the heating process. Then again, an automatic shutdown occurs. Such a regimen moment makes it possible to rationally spend energy.

Important! The presence of a built-in thermostat in the design of the storage water heater helps maintain the set temperature. Some models are equipped with:

• an additional function of the accelerated heating process;
• control system with manual or automatic mode;
• antibacterial coated tank.

The power consumption of such water heaters is about 2-3 kW, like electric kettles. These models can operate at a voltage of 220 volts from an ordinary outlet.

pros

In deciding how to choose a water heater, the main advantages will help. In this embodiment, they are as follows:

• Operation of the equipment is independent of gas pressure and water pressure. So, flowing gas devices can operate at a certain pressure in the gas system to ensure uninterrupted heating of water. Accumulative water heaters can perform work even at low pressure, only the time for heating the water increases. The same thing happens with water. All flow heaters cannot function at low pressure, while storage devices fail to perform the heating process at the right temperature.
• Accumulative water heaters are able to operate at several water intake points at the same time, for example, a bathtub and a kitchen sink, where a large amount of water is consumed.
• Accumulative water heaters have a much smaller scale formation process, while flow-through devices are more prone to settling hard deposits.
• Household models with a large volume of water can provide hot water not only for washing dishes, but also allow all family members to take a bath.

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Flow-storage models

Instantaneous storage water heaters are universal devices for heating water.Units of this type combined the advantageous characteristics of both flow and storage devices.

The main advantages of this model:

• the ability of water heaters to work in two modes;
• compact design;
• simple installation.

Important! The relatively low weight of such models attracts many buyers. They are purchased both for apartments and for country houses and summer cottages. With a weight of six kilograms, the volume of the boiler can range from 10 to 35 liters, which is quite suitable for many consumers.

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Gas storage water heaters

Water heating devices of this type can be divided into:

• wall-mounted with a tank volume of 10 to 100 liters;
• floor with a tank capacity of 120 to 10,000 liters.

Important! Both storage water heaters and flow heaters are characterized by the presence of systems with automatic gas shutdown, in the event of an extinct flame on the burner or if there is no draft in the chimney.

Application

The difference between them lies in a one-time quantitative heating of water. The definition of this parameter will help to choose the right water heater:

• As a rule, wall mounted water heaters are more used for the apartment version of a family of three or four people.
• Floor drives are acquired by small enterprises or country houses, the area of ​​which is much larger than city apartments.

Important! Most storage water heaters operate on natural gas; if necessary, they can easily be converted to liquefied gas.

 

Minuses

The main disadvantages of gas water heaters:

• large dimensions of the boiler;
• limited tank volume;
• long time for heating water;
• high price of equipment.

Important! There are models of gas storage water heaters that have a large volume, are able to function as instantaneous gas heating deviceswhose work is accompanied by rapid heating of water.

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Electric storage devices for heating water

In an electric storage water heater, for heating water, a certain time is required from 30 minutes to 8 hours. The duration of the water heating process depends on the capacity of the equipment and on the volume of the boiler.

Device

The main components of electrical equipment include a heating element and an internal reservoir. They will help to choose a water heater. The volume of the tank in the water heating device can vary between 10-200 liters, and the used power of the heating element is 1.2-2.5 kilowatts.

Important! The volume of the tank and the power of the heating element determine the rate of heating of water. So:

1. for a storage device with a tank volume of 10-15 liters, the heating process is 35-45 minutes;
2. for a water heater with a tank volume of 200 liters, it will take from five to eight hours to heat the water.

The water heater also consists of:

• thermal insulation coating, which ensures the preservation of heated water;
• magnesium anode, which protects the inner surface of the tank from corrosion;
• a thermostat that sets the desired temperature;
• safety valve that relieves excess pressure.

pros

The advantage of electric water heaters lies in the functional features of the work. Once heating water to 50-70 degrees, the automatic mode of the equipment maintains this temperature. Water is heated a little and does not consume a lot of power. The small power consumption of the storage electric heater contributes to increased demand among consumers.

Important! For consumers who need a large amount of hot water and in apartments where the wiring cannot withstand the use of a powerful instantaneous water boiler, choosing an electric storage water heater is an ideal option.

Another advantage of using electric water heaters is the simultaneous supply of water to several water consumers. After this, a small amount of water will remain in the boiler, but very constant flow of water for a long time is rarely used.

Minuses

Electric water heaters also have disadvantages:

• The presence of a high price factor.
• Limited boiler volume, so warm water may unexpectedly run out.
• If you increase the volume of the tank, you will have to enlarge the dimensions of the water heater, and for small rooms - this is not the right option. In the modern market there are new models that can be installed under the ceiling. There are also model developments that are placed in a typical cabinet with pipes, located in the bathroom.
• It takes some time for the water to heat up.

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Use of indirect heating boilers

This type of heaters consists of:

• Steel tank, which is covered with a protective glass-ceramic layer. There are also heaters, consisting of a stainless tank, which is placed in a casing where high-performance thermal insulation is present. As a rule, such a boiler is placed near a single-circuit heating boiler.
• A heat exchanger in the form of a coil that carries out heating of water in a boiler. The coolant of the heating system is antifreeze and water, when passing through the coil helps to heat the water in the tank. Some floor-mounted boilers have two heat exchangers.
• These devices have a temperature indicator. If it is necessary to heat water, the boiler device automatically switches from electric heating to water heating.

Features:

• A proprietary indirect water heater heats water from 0 to 60 degrees in less than half an hour.
• Floor-mounted boilers are characterized by placement near heating boilers. There are also wall-mounted models, but they are limited in tank capacity to 200 liters.
• All tanks of this type are characterized by the presence of a built-in “safety group”, which protects the equipment from the effect of overheating and excessive pressure.
• These boilers are equipped with a magnesium anode, which provides the maximum energy resource of the equipment.

Important! If the boiler has been inoperative for a long time, it is necessary to drain the water.

Minuses

Negative moments are present in indirect heating boilers:

• the presence of a limited amount of water used;
• electrical equipment is very bulky, due to the installation only near the heating boiler.

Important! Many who have purchased a water heater have a desire to install it themselves, without waiting for the arrival of a specialist. Before you get started, check out our reviews on this topic:

• Water heater installation;
• How to connect a flowing water heater in the apartment?

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How to choose a water heater for the home?

The main recommendations on how to choose a water heater are as follows:

• It is necessary to determine the functionality of the water heater and understand why you need to make a purchase. So, the choice depends on what is required:
  1. the presence of a convenient kitchen device for boiling water;
  2. a device capable of supplying hot water when turning off the central water supply;
  3. model for the constant presence of hot water in the apartment;
  4. hot water supply facility.
• It is necessary to make calculations to determine the planned water consumption. If you need to choose a water heater for a summer house or apartment, then you can cope with the calculations yourself. For a large enterprise, it is necessary to turn to specialists from whom it is supposed to purchase a water heater.
• When choosing water heaters, you need to pay attention to the good reputation of the manufacturers and a fairly long warranty period.
• Be sure to think about in which place and how to install the water heater. In this case, the installation dimensions and technical requirements for the equipment must be taken into account, since there are various variations: vertical, horizontal, floor, wall.
• You need to decide how the equipment will be installed - on your own or you need to invite a qualified specialist.

There is another article on our portal in which we talked "Which water heater is better to buy in a private house?"

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Other Useful Tips for Choosing a Hot Water Heater

Correctly choose a storage water heater will help a few useful and simple tips.

Volume

When determining the volume of a water heater, it is necessary to know the number of people present in the apartment who will use hot water and the number of water intake points. One person on average spends at a time:

• wash basin - from 5 to 18 liters;
• shower cabin - from 40 to 90 liters;
• bathroom - from 140 to 190 liters;
• kitchen sink - from 25 to 35 liters.

Tank material

The life of the equipment depends on the material used to make the tank. A tank that has become leaky cannot be repaired, therefore it is necessary to pay attention to the quality of painting and the characteristic features of anticorrosion coatings:

• Tanks made of stainless steel are the most durable to use with an eight-year warranty.
• The case made of carbon steel coated with titanium oxide does not crack at any temperature differences, and for such a tank the warranty is six years.
• The cheapest are ordinary steel tanks, which are coated with standard enamels. But such tanks are not recommended for serious use, since the warranty period is only three years.

Dimensions

When choosing a heater, you must adhere to the following dimensions: in height, the unit must have a margin of ten centimeters above and thirty centimeters from below.

Power

The choice of power depends on the required amount of hot water and the quality of the wiring. In today's market there are expensive models with electronic control units that operate at a power of 2 to 6 kilowatts, using both 220 volts and 110 volts.

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Stock footage

We hope that with the help of our review of varieties of water heaters and selection tips, you can decide which equipment will be more appropriate in your home.