By Having a hot shower, running a dishwasher and doing the laundry all require the use of hot water. It’s safe to say that life without a hot water system would be uncomfortable at best and somewhat dangerous at worst. It’s not often that one considers the importance of the water heater in their home or workplace. This article will go over what electric instant water heaters are, how they work and why they’re important for any home or business.
How is an Electric Instant Water Heater Different to a Storage Tank System?
The two main types of water heaters found in most homes are storage hot water systems and electric instant water heaters. Storage hot water systems are made up of an insulated water tank that is typically mounted to a wall outside the home. This tank heats and distributes water through the mains pressure system, although some older homes use a gravity-fed system instead. Sizes of storage electric water heaters can vary depending on the size of the home, but larger tanks can be installed to replace a smaller system that is no longer meeting your needs.
Storage systems tend to lose some heat through the walls of the tank itself, therefore, it’s usually recommended that you shut off your water heater entirely if you’re away from home for an extended period. Failure to do so could cause a high energy bill even though the system isn’t being engaged.
An electric instant water heater, on the other hand, doesn’t suffer from these same flaws, as there is no cylinder to store water. Instant water heaters work by heating water only as it is used.
How Does an Electric Instant Water Heater work?
Electric instant water heaters use a high powered electric element to heat water only as the water is being used. An electric instant water heater is arguably more efficient than a storage water heater as the water is heated only when needed and doesn’t rely on a cylinder to store water. This fixes the aforementioned problem of loss of heat that tank systems can experience.
Is the Type of Water Heater You Use Important?
While any water heater will do the job, the type of water heater you choose to install in your home could have big ramifications for your energy bills. While electricity prices are dependent on many factors, even using your water heater at certain times in the day or evening could yield dramatically different costs. It’s therefore important to do your research and understand the difference in cost of using not just your water heater, but any electricity during what’s known as ‘peak’ or ‘off-peak’ times.
In general, electric instant water heaters have yielded lower overall energy costs and consumption when compared to other types of hot water systems. This is due to the fact that they’re designed to produce hot water only as it is needed and don’t experience the standby energy losses associated with their storage based counterparts.
