Electric Heating Systems

Generally, for the most part today, having running water in the home is a convenience that many take for granted. In addition, having hot water is also something that is taken for granted unless something happens mechanically and we need to call a plumber.

If we were to think of all the everyday occurrences when hot water came out of the faucet we might appreciate this convenience a bit more. Examples of when this occurs are our daily shower, washing our hands, doing the dishes, cleaning clothes, etc.

In addition, there are many methods by which water can be heated. Our water can be heated through an electric water heater, solar power and by using a gas water heater.

Utilizing a gas water heater has been a choice of many households for a number of reasons. Therefore, if considering this method of water heating it is important to understand how a gas water heater works and its benefits.

How A Gas Water Heater Works

A gas water heater is a combination of gas and electrical appliance that heats up water within a home or business so that the individuals within that facility can have access to hot water. Basically, there are two types of water heaters. One is a gas water heater while the other one is an electric water heater.

The basic difference between the two is that one of the units, the electric water heater, utilizes heating elements within the tank to heat up the water that is within the tank. With the gas water heater the water within the tank is heated through a gas burner located at the bottom of the unit.

Basically the water enters the units through a separate tube. The heating of the water is regulated by a separate device mounted on the water heater. That separate device is called a thermostat. When the thermostat is set to a certain temperature and the water within the tank falls below that temperature, the thermostat sends a signal to the heating unit calling for activation. This activation then heats up the water to that temperature and the hot water is then ready to be used. The flow of the hot water is accomplished through the hot water pipes within the facility.

Benefits

It can be argued that the gas hot water heater is better than the electric water heater and vice versa. Generally, this argument is based on the costs associated with heating water and passing those costs on to the consumer. Frequently, the costs are associated with the energy system that is utilized.

For example with the gas hot water heater the energy source is a combination of gas and electricity. Whereas, the electric water heater utilizes electricity as its energy source. Therefore, depending upon which geographical location the household or business is located would determine the cost factors associated with utilization of electricity or gas.

The sun produces untold trillions of watts of power, and even though we receive just a tiny fraction of that power, it is many times capable of empowering our entire world. For the past few decades, solar power has been gaining prominence as the technology matures and it becomes even more efficient and cheap to produce equipment for. Most people are familiar with solar panels that convert solar rays into usable electricity. However, solar power can also be harvested for its heat energy, as in the case of solar power water heaters, which don't use any source of power but the sun to heat water.

Millions of Degrees

The sun burns so brightly and hotly that it is many millions of degrees in temperature. When it reaches Earth it only warms us to 0 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. That might not seem too impressive, but there is still a great deal of heat in all of the solar rays that bombard us. The only problem is finding a way to harvest those solar rays. Most of them aren't absorbed, and if there were a way to effectively absorb many of them, a great deal of concentrated heat could be produced for our use. Solar power water heaters use solar panels to trap that heat and concentrate it (effectively making it hotter), so even though the atmosphere might not get hotter than 100 degrees, or even if it is below freezing, solar power water heaters can easily heat water up to 200 degrees (although they may require a backup source of energy from time to time).

Many consumers might be rightfully wary of purchasing any new technology, and solar power water heaters and no exception. However, as they mature, you can rest assured that the appliances will become even more reliable and efficient, so only make the purchase when you feel comfortable and assured. Even bigger savings can be achieved through the use of what are known as passive solar water heaters. Active models use pumps and other mechanical devices to move the warm liquid or air along, but passive versions achieve the same results without the use of those devices, so they save even more energy and consequently money.

If you're ready to start weaning yourself off of the power grid, then now is the time to upgrade to solar power water heaters. You'll end up saving hundreds of dollars a year, and you'll never have to worry about the energy being shut off because the sun won't stop burning for billions of years. On top of all of those savings, you'll also be able to sleep easier at night knowing you are doing what you can to help deal with the climate crisis and save the environment.

If you are interested in buying a tankless water heater, besides reading a tankless water heater review there are a few other aspects that you are going to need to take into consideration as well.

What Type?

One of the biggest decisions that you are going to have to make is what type of water heater you are going to need. You can choose to have either an electric or propane tankless water heater. There are both pros and cons to each, but the propane tankless water heater tends to come out on top in most cases.

Benefits

There are quite a few benefits offered by the propane tankless water heater. For one, a propane tankless water heater will be able to recover hot water twice as quickly as their electric counterparts.

That means that in the long term, by opting for a propane water heater you will end up saving yourself a great deal of money. Since propane is extracted from crude oil and processed from natural gas, the price of propane follows the price of these energy commodities, and this refers in particular to the cost of crude oil.

This can be both a good and bad thing but overall the prices for crude oil and the cost of natural gas have been steadily rising which means that you may end up paying more than you expect.

Keep in mind that while propane is produced year-round, the demand for propane is highly seasonal and causes inventories to increase when demand is low which is usually in the summer, and decrease when the demand is higher which is usually in the winter.

Tips

If you decide to go with a propane tankless water heater, here are a few tips that you should keep in mind. For one, when using a water heater you should turn it down from the standard 140 degrees to 130 degrees, and as a result you could end up saving as much as 10% and even more on your water heating bill.

Another helpful tip is to make sure that your attic and basement are properly insulated. This can end up saving you a great deal of money on your water heating bill.

Protect against drafts in your home by caulking and weather-stripping around the windows, doors and other openings in the house.

These tips will all be very helpful and ensure that you pay as little as possible on your water heating bill every month.