Granby Living April2020

EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR
GETTING IN HOT WATER?
Learn about these water-warming options
By Jason Brusa
Domestic hot water … how does it work in your home? That is an
interesting question as there are so many different ways of heating
water. These range from the more traditional tank-type water heaters
to the tankless on-demand systems. Here is a brief guide to the various
types of water heaters most commonly found in our area.
Conventional Storage Tank: This style of unit features a tank that holds
water to be heated. This means that the capacity of the tank determines how
much hot water you have available at once. The tank is insulated so that when the
water heats up, it remains warm until it is needed. These water heaters can be electric,
gas-fired or oil-fired. These are the most common types of water heaters in residential
homes. The capacity of the tank and the way it is heated determine how much each water heater
can produce. As an example, a 50-gallon electric water heater will produce approximately 67
gallons of hot water, first hour draw. A 50-gallon gas-fired unit will do about 86 gallons, and a
50-gallon oil-fired water heater can produce upward of 200 gallons, first hour draw.
Tankless Water Heater (On-Demand): As the name implies, a tankless water heater has no
tank. Instead, the cold water flows through a heat exchanger that flash-heats it. These allow for a
nearly endless supply of hot water. Tankless water heaters run primarily on either electricity or
gas. Like most other water heaters, these units come in different sizes based on output flow rate.
It’s critical to size the system properly based on the needs of the home. Be careful not to confuse
these systems with a tankless coil boiler. Though they both do not use a tank, the tankless coil
boiler is an inefficient way of creating hot water as it requires the boiler to maintain temperature
24 hours a day.
Heat Pump Water Heaters (Hybrid): This is typically a tank-type water heater that uses heat
in the air to heat water. This means that electricity is only used to move heat from the air to
the water, instead of the alternative where electricity is used to generate heat. Heat pump water
heaters can use up to 60 percent less electricity than traditional styles of water heaters. The
downside of these units is that they require more space to accommodate the compressor on the
top and they do make a bit of noise. In addition, since they are pulling latent heat out of the air,
the area around the water heater (in the basement) can be fairly cold. A 50-gallon heat pump
water heater will produce approximately 69 gallons, first hour draw.
Indirect Water Heater: This style of water heater uses a storage tank and the heat from your
boiler to provide your home with abundant hot water. In an indirect system, water is heated up
by the boiler and is then passed through a heating coil or heat exchanger to heat the water in
the tank. Like a conventional tank-type water heater, these tanks are well-insulated to store the
hot water. When paired with a high-efficiency boiler, these units can create large amounts of hot
water for less money. A typical 50-gallon indirect can produce more than 200 gallons, first hour
draw. The obvious downside is that you must have a boiler in your home.
These water heaters are merely a snapshot of the various options available. There are so many
to choose from with various capacities and efficiencies. When looking to replace your water
heater, contact your plumber or mechanical company and they can offer you options to properly
take care of your needs.
Jason Brusa
Beacon Mechanical Service
Phone 860-844-0111
jbrusa@beaconmechanical.com
14 | APRIL 2020