Undoubtedly, geyser water heaters are necessary for every home to aid in extreme weather conditions. Unfortunately, people often buy the wrong heater for themselves due to lack of knowledge. Check out the different types of heaters and their working mechanism, and learn how to choose the most efficient water heater for your home.
Electrical water heaters operate on a simple mechanism. Electricity passes through an electrical-resistance heating element to warm the water in the tank’s centre. A thermostat that delivers power controls the temperature of the water.
Types of Water Heaters available in India
Conventional Water Heater
These water heaters consist of a tank that collects water to heat it. It means that the tank’s capacity influences how much hot water is available at any given time. The tank is insulated, staying warm when the water heats up until it’s time to use it. The temperature control and pressure control valves are located in this tank. When the water temperature exceeds 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature control valve opens to discharge heat and decrease the temperature.
When the pressure hits roughly 150 psi, the pressure release valve opens to lower the pressure. It is the most prevalent form of water heater in family houses. However, the amount of hot water it can hold is limited. As a result, you may run out of hot water soon if your tank is too small. On the other hand, having unnecessarily big water heater water may lead you to wait for too long for it to heat up.
Tankless Water heater
The tankless water heater does not have a tank. Instead, super-heated coils fill-up with water and heat water as needed, which is why it’s also referred to as an on-demand water heater. It is ideal for quick heating of water, particularly for large families who require a large amount of hot water at the same time. This type of water heater is available in various sizes, so make sure you get the correct one for your home. A smaller tankless water heater may be unable to keep up with your water consumption, resulting in lukewarm or cold water. These models work well in homes with natural gas water heaters, but larger models require a more significant gas connection to work correctly.
Hybrid Water Heater
This type of water heater is unique. It heats water using both air and soil heat. Instead of producing heat, electricity transports heat from the ground or the air to the water. Heat pump water heaters can save more than half on electricity compared to traditional water heaters. Because the pump is on the top, this water heater may require a significant amount of vertical clearance, often up to eight feet.
Solar Water Heaters
As the name implies, solar water heaters are environmentally friendly machines that serve their purpose while promoting sustainability. They convert renewable solar energy into heat using a solar thermal collector. Natural energy from the sun is absorbed by a roof-mounted cell and transferred to an antifreeze-like fluid in a closed-loop system leading to the water tank in the solar water heaters. In the era where there is an urge of conserving natural resources and the planet, solar water heaters are no less than a boon. Additionally, they save on hefty electricity bills.
Gas Water Heaters
Gas water heaters use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). They are extremely energy efficient and are fed by gas pipelines/cylinders. They are also lighter and less expensive. As a result, these water heaters use less energy and cost less to operate (by roughly half) than electric storage water heater, while gas models are more costly to buy.
Checking types and the working mechanism of geysers alone won’t help until you know what size suits you best. In India, most families have four or more members. Therefore, a Water Heater 25L is the most preferred size as it is neither too big nor too small. However, if your family comprises 2-3 people, go for 6L or 15L water heaters.