What type of water heater should I get

Types of Water heaters
Notable Brands :
Rinnai, Rheem, Navien, Noritz and Bosch are all well recommended and renowned brands in HVAC and water treatment industries. They are all capable of completing the job and creating hot water on demand however as explained extensively, the correct sizing and make and model are essential for a successful upgrade. A proper installation and maintenance of a tankless unit is said to increase its overall lifetime from and average of 10 to 20 years.
Features to Consider:
Warranty:
- Parts Coverage for water heaters typically runs between three to 12 years
- It is recommended to Choose a water heater with the longest warranty available.
Anti-scale devices:
- Some brands advertise features that are supposed to reduce buildup of mineral scale at the bottom of the tank or the heat exchanger by swirling the water.
- Scale can shorten the life of the heating element and heat exchanger .
- Most of well-built models of tankless are fitted with purging valves to help clean the unit from scale and residue every 3 yrs.
Brass vs. plastic drain valves:
- Of course the vote and recommendation goes for brass drain valves, which are more durable than plastic.
Glass-lined tanks: Designed to reduce corrosion.
Digital displays:
Though not a priority, they have proven to be Helpful when you monitor levels and help customize operation. Some water heaters let you set a vacation mode that uses just a portion of the energy for added efficiency when you're away.
Instant reservoir:
Just an option; eliminated cold water sandwiches
Recirculating pump:
When it comes to tankless water heaters, they are off the entire night / the entire time that you do not demand hot water, as long as the taps are closed, the unit is off. Hence it is natural for them to supply hot water with a relative delay, to address this for optimal water preservation and mitigation of the 30 to 70 second wait, we can incorporate a recirculating pump that allows hot water to circulate for minutes before your use in order to bring instantaneous hot water.
Storage Tank Water Heater
- The most common and affordable type of water heating devices. As suggested by the name, this type of water heater consists of an insulated reservoir (tank) and a heat exchanger unit which heats and stores e water until in demand.
- These tanks usually have temperature and pressure relief valves, these valves open when either the pressure or temperature exceeds preset settings.
- Natural-gas water heaters usually use less energy hence cost lower to accomplish the same work than electric water heaters.
- However it is notable that gas models are more expensive at the time of purchase and also have a relatively higher installation cost.
Tankless (On-Demand) Water Heater
- All Tankless water heaters utilize heat exchangers using heating coils to heat the water instantly as you open the hot water tap.
- They are the most energy-efficient way to heat water.
- Much higher efficiency than a regular water heater tank.
- Tankless or on demand water heaters are the best options for houses that have natural gas as their primary heat source
- Electric tankless models may need an extensive upgrade for home’s electrical supply capacity.
Heat Pump (Hybrid) Water Heater : (not recommended for use in Canada)
- The technology is to capture heat from the air and transfer it to the water.
- Saves about 60 percent of the energy energy compared to a standard electric water heater.
- They unit may cost more than an electric-only model
- installation is the same as a regular electric tank
- Short payback time
- To be installed and utilized in areas that stay within 40° F to 90° F in 1000 cubic ft of uncooled area.
- Minimum 7 ft clearance from floor to ceiling.
- Needs s nearby drain discharge for the condensate.
Solar Water Heater (not recommended for Canada)
- The roof-mounted cell transfers the sun’s absorbed heat to a “medium” fluid within a closed-loop system.
- Extremely good savings in summer
- A great choice for warm, sunny regions.
- Savings are less in cold and cloudy climates.
- Majority of makes and models utilize a backup system.
Condensing Water Heater (recommended for demand for capacity above 55 gallons)
- These models utilize a tank similar a conventional water heater
- They also capture exhaust gases that usually carry the major wastes of energy.
- Input cold water absorbs most of the heat increasing efficiency by a lot
Sizing the right tankless unit:
Size is the most important part of choosing a new tankless water heater for your home.
If a water heater is too small, results are not being able to heat enough hot water for your household’s demand.
If a water heater is too large, it results in bills being more costly than necessary. You will be paying more upfront for the unit and installation (oversizing is proven it could only be useful if you plan to upsize your home later).
To provide adequate hot water, tankless water heater system needs to be just the right size. It has to meet your household's hot water demand.
Sizing Overview
- Flow Rate (GPM): what amount of hot water is used per hour or any unit of time simultaneously.
- Temperature Rise (ΔT): The amount that the incoming cold water needs to be heated. (high numbers for use in Canada
- For determination of the required flow rate, add the flow rates for each hot water fixture in the house together.
- For temperature difference or short form , “rise” , we need the temp difference between the water entering the heater and the temperature output at the faucets.
- Typical faucet output hot temperatures are 110° F – 120° F.
- For the same tankless, The larger the difference between the input and output fixture water, the fewer fixtures the tankless on demand water heater will be able to supply.
Sizing Calculation
- Professionals use tables like the two tables below to calculate the total flow rate your home needs.
- The numbers are estimates and we recommend leaving the final vote on the sizing to professionals rather than calculating yourself. We are available 24/7 at Canada Energy Solution to answer your demands and guide you to optimal remedies.
Note to Brandon: you can make a good looking chart using all the data, the data is not copyrighted and we can use it, its just better to use different format
Winter VS summer values in Canada:
Groundwater or input temperatures are subjected to a huge difference between the summer and winter seasons in Canada. Average rise (rise= temperature difference of outlet and inlet water) is calculated to be 77 F for winter (cold climate) and 35 F for summer (warm climate). The following chart shows some of the best known models and their overall performance in GPM on different rise levels.
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