Water Heaters
What you need to know for your hot shower in the morning
Traditional water heaters use the "heat rises" principle to separate hot and cold water inside the tank - cold water is stored at the bottom while hot water is sent out the top. Available in gas or electric models, water heaters are comprised of the following parts:
- Heavy inner steel tank that holds the hot water, about 40 to 60 gallons at a time
- Insulation that surrounds the tank
- Dip tube that lets cold water into the tank.
- Pipe that lets hot water out of the tank
- Thermostat to control the temperature of the water inside the tank. The water should be kept between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heating elements (in electric models) to heat the water. Gas models have a gas burner at the bottom instead.
- Drain valve to allow drainage of the tank in case or repair or relocation
- Pressure relief valve that keeps the tank from exploding
- Sacrificial anode rod that keeps the steel tank from corroding
Recent innovations in water heaters have done away with the need for massive amounts of water storage and the water heaters used in today’s homes are tankless - meaning they don’t have storage tanks. Tankless water heaters supply an endless amount of hot water on demand with no need for stored water and save energy by eliminating standby losses.
A tankless water heater’s gas, propane or electric heating device is activated by the flow of water. The heater is rated by how much it can raise the water temperature per minute.
If you’re looking for a tankless water heater that allows you to run two hot showers simultaneously (not all of them do), then you’ll want to get one that can heat more than 5 gallons per minute by 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
An Efficient Solution
Tankless water heaters are quickly becoming the norm in new homes and in old home renovations. They are more economical to operate than the traditional tank water heater, and most consumers find that they perform more consistently and reliably. There’s little wait for the water to warm up because old cold water doesn’t have to be ejected from pipes before the tanked hot water reaches your tap.
However, if you have a tanked water heater, you can retain its efficiency (and your hot shower!) with regular maintenance and insulation.
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