What Considerations Do You Need to Take When Choosing a Hot Water System?
Posted on: 17 December 2018
When choosing the right hot water system for your house, you need to make sure you select one that suits your needs, your environs and budget. It can be quite costly if you end up choosing the wrong one. When selecting the right system, it is crucial to consider the following.
Cost
There are two types of expenses you need to consider. The purchase cost and the costs arising from using the hot water system. Your system uses energy that impacts your energy bill for quite a long time, so you need to choose one that will be energy efficient and cost effective.
Your Household Size
How many people live in your household, and how are their hot water consumption patterns? What is their showering frequency? How often are the dishwasher and washing machine used? Depending on your answers to these questions, you will know what type of system to get and what features to have installed, such as water-efficient showerheads. There are also some energy and cost-saving practices you can establish. For example, you could have a shower timer to remind everyone to save water.
Availability of Space
Some water heater systems can be large, and depending on availability of space in your home, some may fail to fit, and you will have to go with other smaller options. Do you have space on your roof? If not, it can be quite challenging to have solar panels attached.
Do You Have an Existing Water Heater System?
You might already have a water heating system but want to get one that saves on energy. It is important to consider whether the one you have can be converted into a suitable system. For example, most standard electrical hot water systems may be connected to a solar system or a heat pump.
What Energy Sources Are Available in Your Area?
Is natural gas available? You should ask yourself such questions to narrow down your options and make it easier to make the correct choice. You should also know that some systems may emit greenhouse gases, and you should avoid them. They are also being or have been phased out in some states.
What Is Your Local Climate?
If your area has excellent solar radiation, you can lean to the side of solar hot water units. Additionally, the energy required to warm water in the storage tank will be low as the difference between the cold and hot water temperature will be less. Less heat is also lost in areas with higher temperatures.
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