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Posted on April 1, 2006 by Alphonso Sirtle.. | Posted under Home and Family
5 Types Of Gas Hot Water Heaters
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Purchasing any type of new water heater is difficult at best. Water heater technology has been changing over the years, and you may be surprised at some of the options now available. You have to wade through manufacturers, salespeople, and promises. Just because your old hot water heater brand suited you perfectly, you have to consider all the possibilities. I would love to say that once a good brand, always a good brand. This is far from the truth though. As companies switch hands, or the merge, or they file for bankruptcy, the product is effected. Sometimes, this is awesome; sometimes, this is not so awesome. 1. Storage gas hot water heaters. These are probably the most popular gas hot water heaters in America. They range in size from 20 gallons to 80 gallons most commonly, but there are some that are quite a bit larger. These work by holding the water in an insulated tank, and then a heat source heats the water. The water is continuously heated, which can be quite expensive. The water is heated from the bottom up. The hot water rises and the cold water goes to the bottom. This continual cycle causes this to be an expensive model because of the cost it takes to run this over the life span of the gas hot water heater. 2. In-demand gas hot water heaters. These are also referred to as tankless water heaters. Although the technology is relatively new, these have been a growing trend in America. With these, the water is instantly heated as you need it, not held in a hot water tank as the traditional models. While these have their pros and their cons, they are advancing quickly in their technology, and usually come with an excellent warranty. These cost about equivalent to the traditional gas hot water heaters. 3. Heat pump gas hot water heaters. These are significant because they use electricity to transfer the water rather than the heat being generated directly. The heat source is outside of the gas hot water heaters instead of inside the gas hot water heaters. This does use a lot more electricity than the traditional gas hot water heaters, but less gas than the traditional gas hot water heaters. This type of heating device can be added onto any gas hot water heater or it can be purchase as a hot water heater. 4. Indirect gas hot water heaters. These hot water heaters run off the same heat source as your furnace or boiler. This is very fuel economic and helps save money as well as resources. The water being stored in the regular gas hot water heater tank allows for less energy to be used to heat the water. This saves a lot more money during cold months where your heater would turn on anyway. These can be purchased in pieces to be installed later, or they can be purchased as complete systems. 5. Solar gas hot water heaters. These are not as common as they were around two decades ago. However, the technology has gotten a lot less expensive, and a lot more reliable. There is a bit of an initial cost which turns many people off of this idea. The main idea of these is that the sun heats assists in heating up the water. I like mine because I use a combination of gas and solar energy. This cuts the cost almost completely down on my gas bill except on days when I use a lot of water. The sun circulates hot water through the tubes that heat the water in the holding tank. If you can afford this option, this is well worth the cost. As with all appliance, we rarely consider buying one until we really need one. This means we make quick decisions regardless of cost or benefits. By doing a little research now, you can save money, time, and effort in the long run. You can purchase pieces, parts, or whole systems when they come on sale. By being a little prepared now, yu can save a lot of money later. On a side note, I wanted to take the time to mention warranties. You should always throughly investigate the warranty. I found some gas hot water heaters are warrantied only to provide you with a single part once and you pay shipping and handling both ways. This means if you need a new element at 8 months, after that, you will forever be purchasing your own element. There are some very reputable warranties out there. Do not ask the salesperson for advice on this aspect because they usually are clueless as to the warranty, and they usually just want to sell you a water heater. Being prepared can save you money not only now, but in the future as well. About The Author: Alphonso has been working in the home remodeling industry for last 5 years. Take advantage of his experience and written material on heater ideas at his website at http://www.improve-home.com |
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