Choosing between stainless steel and conventional water heaters: Are stainless steel tanks worth the initial higher cost? Advantages and disadvantages of horizontally mounted water heaters: What to consider? How a larger capacity water heater reduces electricity bills and saves on household expenses.
Factors to Consider When Selecting a Water Heater
Selecting the right water heater that meets all your needs depends on various factors. If you’re replacing an existing water heater, you’ll be constrained by factors such as installation space, cable positioning, and pipe connections. However, even with these limitations, the choice is diverse and not straightforward.
If you’re planning the layout of your bathroom and haven’t yet installed electrical wiring or water connections, you’ll need to carefully consider your options. Later modifications tend to be costly and often not worthwhile. Therefore, if you’re planning construction or extensive bathroom renovations, it’s advisable to consult professionals, as this guide may not suffice.
Thus, we won’t discuss hybrid water heaters, which utilize both electricity and central heating or solar energy, as they require special conditions. This guide primarily focuses on replacing existing water heaters.
Choosing the Right Capacity
The ideal water heater capacity largely depends on your household size and usage habits. As a rule of thumb, larger capacity heaters are better. However, this doesn’t apply if you live alone. On average, a single person requires around 20 liters (aprox. 5 gallons) of hot water per day.
Therefore, for a two-person household, a standard 50-liter (aprox. 13 gallons) heater should suffice, assuming moderate usage and no connection to the kitchen or use of a dishwasher. For a family of four, an 80-liter heater won’t last a day. This is significant because water heaters are typically the largest consumers of electricity. Hence, it’s preferable to have them running only during off-peak hours when electricity is cheaper (on some markets), rather than heating water throughout the day when higher tariffs apply.
Heating one liter (aprox 0,25 gallons) of water from 10 to 80 degrees Celsius (aprox. 50 to 176 degrees Fahrenheit) consumes energy equivalent to a 100-watt light bulb running for an hour. Therefore, it’s in your interest to ensure the water heater operates only during off-peak hours. If you can install larger heater in place of your old 50-liter one, it could lead to long-term savings.
However, purchasing a larger heater usually means it’s more powerful, so consult an electrician to ensure your wiring can support it.
Additional Savings with Larger Heaters
A larger water heater can contribute to savings in another way. A smaller heater needs to operate at maximum capacity throughout the day to meet demand. However, it’s recommended not to exceed a water temperature of 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) to prevent rapid limescale buildup inside the tank.
With a larger heater, there’s enough hot water available throughout the day, even if it’s not heated to the maximum temperature. Modern heaters display water temperature on a digital screen, while cheaper, standard heaters usually have a thermostat dial with markings indicating the most economical operating mode.
Material Considerations: Stainless Steel vs. Conventional
Water heaters are divided into those with standard tanks and those with stainless steel tanks. Stainless steel tanks are highly durable and reliable, with failures typically limited to burnt-out heating elements, while the tank itself can last a long time.
Manufacturers often provide warranties, primarily for the tank rather than other components. However, stainless steel heaters come at a significantly higher cost. Standard heaters have tanks made of regular steel with some form of internal corrosion protection, such as enamel. Investing in a stainless steel tank heater is a good long-term investment if budget allows.
However, any water heater from a reputable manufacturer is a solid choice, with the warranty period being the main consideration. It’s worth noting that all heater malfunctions can be repaired except when the tank leaks. While there are technicians who specialize in patching tank leaks, this is a temporary solution, as corrosion at one spot usually indicates more leaks are imminent elsewhere.
Horizontal vs. Vertical Installation
Water heaters can also be categorized based on their installation orientation: vertical or horizontal. A single water heater cannot be installed both horizontally and vertically; you’ll need to purchase a specific type, as components such as pipes and heating elements are differently arranged.
There are universal heaters that can be installed in both positions, but they are less common. Horizontal heaters are practical for smaller bathrooms as they can be mounted close to the ceiling, saving floor space. However, with horizontally mounted heaters, there’s more intense mixing of hot and cold water during operation, which can lead to hot water running out sooner.