Waiting until the time the existing hot water system conks out and looking for a new one does not work well as you tend to be in a hurry and choose the first one you come across. This means you are not aware of the different type hot water system available in the market. To ensure you are making the right choice in these systems go through the different choices and choose the perfect one which will provide you undisturbed hot water at minimum power consumption level. This choice needs certain factors to be considered. You are benefitted in more than one way when you take time and go through the various options available.
Choosing between the Electric, Gas and a Heat pump system:
Gas Hot Water System: Gas systems work well, and you do not need to pay any electric power consumption bill for the same. For these systems, you need to opt for around 170L for a family of four. These systems are installed in the exteriors as these require venting facilities. Ensure the system chosen has the required energy star rating. You can also choose the LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) instead of natural gas. The gas hot water system can save your power consumption bill and you can fill the gas in the tank when required.
Electric Hot Water Systems: Though the electric hot water systems work out an affordable option for installing and buying, you need to be prepared for the high costs required for running this. Running these systems with off-peak electricity can work out affordable, but not all homes have this facility. For a family of four members, you require around 160L tank. These systems can be installed even indoor area and you can also install this hot water tank in your bathroom too.
Solar Pumps: These consist of a storage tank and solar collector panels. Around four-square meters of the solar collector is enough for a family of four. The tank required for this needs to be large so that you can store enough hot water even for those days which have less of sunlight. As compared to the other systems, this works out a costlier option and is also tough to install. Initially, you need to spend more amounts for installing the solar hot water system, but you can save more in future.
How to Choose a Hot Water System?
The most important factor to be taken into consideration when deciding on a new hot water system is to check out what type of fuel is readily available. You need to choose the hot water system which can save your power consumption cost.
The number of people using hot water and is the usage at the same time or at different times are two additional considerations.
The distance of the hot water systems from the tap. You need to be aware that with a tap being too far from the specific hot water system because it tends to waste more water and you need to wait for the water to heat.
The amount of space available in your home. The different storage tanks for the hot water systems tend to occupy quite a bit of space. If you have limited space, then you can look for the compact water heaters available these days.
You can plan out a solar water heater only if you have a ‘big’ budget as these are quite expensive. With a limited budget look for the electric or gas hot water systems.
Now that you have decided on the type of hot water system you require it is time to short-list the names of reputed and experienced manufacturers dealing in these systems.