Friday 6 May 2011

Reasons For Checking The Water Heater Ratings

Water heaters are a basic necessity for both residential dwellings as well as commercial establishments. There are a number of heating systems that are available in the market but they have to be chosen with care. There are many factors to consider such as the water heater ratings while selecting a new system for your home. The system should not only provide sufficient hot water to meet your daily requirement, but it must do so in an energy-efficient manner without costing you an arm and leg. Hence, you must consider the various types of water heaters that are available and determine the right size as well as the fuel source that would be required.


There are different types of water heaters that are available such as: Solar; Conventional storage; Tankless/demand/instantaneous; Tankless coil/indirect; and Heat pump home heaters.


Ratings are an essential component while choosing your water heating system because it will help you save a lot of money and cut down on energy consumption in the long run. Systems such as the solar water heating system are green, renewable resources and very energy efficient and will help save on electricity costs. However, a lot would depend on the selection criteria. While selecting the best model and type, you need to look at the following:


- Size - You must select the proper size to meet all your daily hot water requirements. By choosing the right size, you will receive a steady supply of hot water throughout the year and maximize the efficiency.

- Fuel type - The fuel type or energy source is another important factor. There are those that are gas fired and there are the ones that use the electric heating elements.

- Cost factor - The cost factor would depend on the availability of the fuel and the annual requirements and operational costs.


Energy Efficiency

Ratings will entirely depend upon the energy efficiency of the heating system that you use. Normally, the more energy-efficient systems are expensive as compared to the conventional systems. But the money you spend on energy efficient systems will not go in vain as you will save a lot on future operational costs and heating bills. However, in addition to this, it is imperative to consider the other critical factors as well while buying.


Life cycle costs, in addition to water heater ratings need to be taken into consideration while making your choice. Also, look for the energy star label with the energy factor (EF). If there is an existing gas line, then you can consider installing a gas or even a heat pump water heater. Choose a direct vented model with EF of 0.93. The AHRI database will be able to give you products by tank size and energy factors. Select the specifications before running your query.