There are a few different ways to heat water for homes, whether that’s for a bungalow, mansion or a flat, they all follow the same principles. The main choice that needs to be made is how to heat water for appliances around the house, on demand (instantaneous) or from storage.
Instantaneous heating has started to become a more popular method to heat water. The units are typically small, allowing you to fit them under sinks or allowing them to be hidden elsewhere. Instantaneous water heaters are a great space saving solution, and also save time. One added bonus of these is that technically with instantaneous heating, you will never run out of hot water.
Because 1 bedroom apartments are often small, instantaneous heating will always appeal to customers living in these environments. With only a few appliances to provide for (kitchen sink, hand wash basin, bath) it means space can be allocated for other uses, whereas this is not the case with a cylinder. These types of heaters can also be used for showers, but only if they are not thermostatically controlled. A standard mixer shower works perfectly with instantaneous heating.
Although these sound like a fantastic solution they do have some drawbacks. One being that the water heater must be within 2m of the connected appliance. As the pipes connecting the water heater to the appliance get longer, it gives the water more time to cool down in the pipes, and the recommended distance is no more than 2m. This can mean that multiple instantaneous heaters are needed, a powerful model like the DEX12 for the bathroom, and then a less powerful heater in the kitchen like a CEX-U. Another drawback is that these are very demanding in terms of amperage. Many people do not have the required amperage left in their homes for these, the most powerful of which being close to 12kW in the domestic range. You will need to consult an electrician before purchasing one of these.
The other method to heat water is the classic way – a storage type water heater. Although they take up valuable space, distance from each appliance is not as major of a problem if compared with instantaneous water heating. They are also much more reliable, with many manufacturers offering 10 – 20 years warranty on these, and this even extends to a lifetime warranty in some cases. There are hundreds of different models of storage water heater however, and this can be confusing. Here’s a blog on how to choose the right size cylinder here, and another on which cylinder you need here.
If you still have any unanswered questions on water heating, give us a call on 01934 253600 to speak to one of our friendly experts.