3 New Hot Water Heater Technologies

hot-water-heaterWhen your old hot water heater stops working, you will either need to repair or replace it. However, with hot water heater technology evolving at such a rapid rate, it can be hard to pinpoint which option is best for you. The information below discusses three of the most popular high tech hot water heaters to help you find the right balance between efficiency and performance for your particular home.

Tankless Hot Water Heater (see picture above left).

Like the name suggests, these water heaters do not contain a water storage tank. Instead of keeping 40 or 50 gallons of heated water in a reservoir 24 hours a day (which is a waste of energy and a drain on your utility bill) a tank-less unit heats the water as you need it.

Pros:

  • Never run out of hot water
  • Saves about 30-50% in energy costs, when compared to conventional gas heaters
  • Takes up less space

Cons:

  • Takes about 3-8 seconds to heat the water to the desired temperature
  • Not easy to install
  • Must be flushed with special chemicals every year to maintain energy efficiency and remove scale

Hybrid Electric Heat-pump Hot Water Heater

This type of hot water heater works by pulling heat out of the surrounding air and pumping it into the storage pump. It has conventional heating coils but, they only activate when the heat pump cannot sufficiently warm the water by itself.

Pros:

  • Lowest operating cost of any electric water heater on the market, especially if you live in a warm climate and it is installed in your hot garage or attic
  • Potential tax incentives and/or rebates (check with your state and electricity provider)

Cons:

  • Costly price tag
  • Takes up a lot of space
  • Air filter must be cleaned on a regular basis to maintain operating efficiency

Condensing Gas Hot Water Heater

Instead of wasting energy by sending hot exhaust gases out of the flue, a condensing gas hot water heater blows them through the coil at the bottom of the fan to heat the water to the desired temperatures.

Pros:

  • Most energy-efficient, gas powered water heater on the market
  • High first hour recovery rate virtually guarantees that you’ll never run out of hot water

Cons

  • Expensive price tag
  • Require venting and gas line reconfiguration

Important Considerations

Regardless of the model that you choose, there are a couple of ratings that you must check before you buy your new heater:

  • Energy factor (EF): Indicates how efficient the unit is; the higher the number the more efficient the heater.
  • First hour recovery: This is for storage tank heaters and indicates the amount of hot water that you will get within the first hour after opening the spigot.
  • Flow rate: This is for tank-less heaters, that use incoming winter water temperatures to provide the flow rate that you want.

Before you put down a ton of money for a new high tech hot water heater, it is important that you take some time to understand the pros and cons of each. To learn more about hot water heaters, see 5 Facts About Hot Water Heaters. The information above will help you narrow down your options so that you make the right investment for your needs. However, even though all the new models are more energy efficient, that doesn’t mean you’ll find them the most cost effective for your family. Plus, we are always ready to answer your questions and provide you with the facts you need to make an educated decision to meet your particular needs.

 

Well Repair

The purpose of this article is to briefly explain the components of well repair.

If you run your home or business off a well, a lack of pressure needs to be repaired immediately to ensure you can live comfortably in the home. On the other hand,
a garden or field dependent on an irrigation well with a pump that has no pressure will quickly dry out. The failure of one of several components of your system
on a pump can cause it to lose pressure.

Often the problem is the submersible pump itself, a pipe or the pressure switch. By testing the three components of a well water system, you can determine what has to be replaced or what needs a tune-up.

Well System Components:

1. Submersible Pump
2. Well Pipe
3. Pressure Switch

 

1. Well Repair: Submersible Pump

well repair

Upsy Daisy Well Pump Puller

Your well pump supplies your house with water from under the ground. Not only does a well pump have to get water into your home, but it also has to maintain the water pressure at a reasonable level. Your pump pulls water from the well and keeps it inside a pressurized storage tank that releases water when a faucet requests it. If you notice your pump running continuously or not running at all, it could mean that you must replace the pump or one of its parts.

Our experienced plumbers use the Upsy Daisy well pump puller to quickly and efficiently pull and replace you submersible pump!

Read more on how to determine if your well pump is failing.

 

2. Well Repair: Well Pipe

If the draw pipe or a delivery pipe from your well has burst, all the water may be running out of the pipe before it reaches its destination. Listen at the
well for the sound of running water. If you hear water splashing into the well below, there may be a burst pipe before it reaches the surface of the well.
If you disconnect the output pipe from the pump and attach a short pipe or hose to it and water pumps out but you have no pressure in the house or garden,
then a rupture along the pipe is the likeliest problem.

 

3.Well Repair: Pressure Switch

pressure switchPressure switches sit in-line between the well pump and the air bladder tank. The switch tells the pump to kick on at a preset pressure level. A pressure switch
that malfunctions may cause the entire system to go down and quit delivering water. Another symptom may include the continual cycling of the well pump on and off.
Add a pressure gauge to your piping near the pressure switch to make it easy to verify the presence of pressure in the system and check other elements of the system first to narrow down the problem.

 

In summary, often the problem is the submersible pump itself, a well pipe or the pressure switch. By testing the three parts of a well water system, you can determine what has to be replaced or what simply needs a tune-up. Don’t wait until you turn on the faucet and nothing happens. We have described some of the common symptoms to help you identify if and when you need professional assistance.

We are here to help! Call us Today! 240-222-3205

 

 

 

 

 

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