WHAT'S NEW: The standard water heater is
one of the most energy-consumption
devices around. New technologies
such as solar and tankless systems
can lower energy costs.
Most
popular type. Fuel
options: electricity, natural gas, oil, and propane. Storage
capacity: range from 20 to 80 gallons (75.7 to 302.8 liters),
Heat Pump Water Heaters
Cold
water travels through a pipe into the unit, and either a gas
burner or an electric element heats the water only when needed.
With these systems, you never run out of hot water. But there
is one potential drawback with demand water heaters -- limited
flow rate.
Demand Water Heaters
Uses
electricity to move heat from one place to another instead
of generating heat directly. To heat water for homes, heat
pump water heaters work like refrigerators in reverse.
Tankless Coil - Indirect Water Heaters
A
home's space-heating system can also be used to heat water.
Two types of water heaters that use this system are tankless
coil and indirect. No separate storage tank is needed in the
tankless coil water heater because water is heated directly
inside the boiler in a hydronic (i.e., hot water) heating
system.
Solar Water Heaters
Sun
can be used to heat water for your home. Depending on climate
and water use, a properly designed, installed, and maintained
solar water heater can meet from half to nearly all of a home's
hot water demand.
Home Financing Notes
