How to choose a good water heater

The lack of centralized water supply or frequent accidents on heating mains force many urban and the vast majority of rural residents to install autonomous hot water supply systems. The main question is how to choose a suitable water heater.

Most often, autonomous hot water supply systems are designed based on electric water heaters. Although water heaters have similar functionality, many of their parameters determine the quality of the water heating system.

For a non-professional, seeing a huge number of devices from different manufacturers in a hardware store, it is difficult to make a choice of the one that would be reliable and durable, while also having an affordable price. Let's try to help you figure out which water heater is better.

Types of electric water heaters

There are 2 types of water heaters based on their operating principle:

1. Flow-through devices are small devices that heat water “in real time”. In this case, the degree of heating is determined by the water pressure and the power of the device.
2. Storage (boilers) – tanks with a volume of 10-200 liters.They spend some time heating cold water to the desired temperature, and then this temperature is maintained.

While boilers have already become classics, instantaneous water heaters were invented relatively recently. Now both types of devices are used in everyday life.

Instantaneous water heaters

Instantaneous water heaters, capable of almost instantly heating water pouring from a tap to 20-60 ˚C, naturally have high power (more than 3 kilowatts).

Choosing a mounting method

Having such a device, you do not need to wait for the water to heat up. You can immediately use hot water to wash dishes or wash your face. There are built-in and mounted flow heaters. The former are a faucet attachment, while the latter are attached to the wall.

Both types of water heaters can be equipped with a tap and shower head. A number of models have the ability to serve more than one water intake point.

Increasing the power of an instantaneous water heater increases its performance and ease of use.

Selection by power

Built-in heaters with a relatively low power of 3 kW, providing a throughput of 1.3 l/min, make it possible to wash your hands and wash dishes. But you won’t be able to take a shower comfortably.

To ensure a full shower, a flow-through water heater capacity of 2-3 l/min is required, which can be provided by a device with a power of 3.5-5 kW or more. At the same time, not every electrical network is capable of withstanding such current for a long time, especially in old residential premises.

If the house is located in a gardening association, then the owner is faced with problems not only with internal, but also with external electrical networks.After all, they are almost universally outdated and will not be able to handle a load of even 5 kW, which is required for an average water heater and other electricity consumers in the house.

For full-featured heaters, the power consumption reaches 10-15 kW, which require a three-phase connection, which is often absent in summer cottages.

If the home does not have problems with external electrical networks and the internal wiring is made using power lines of the required cross-section, the flow-through heater will serve as an excellent addition to a storage electric heater or hot water supply from the boiler room.

Choosing an installation location

The latest models are characterized by safe design and ease of installation. They have options that protect the device from turning on without water and turn off the power if it overheats.

For example, an instantaneous heater can be placed in the kitchen sink so that you do not have to depend on family members to take a shower, and you can easily wash dishes.

In the case of a summer cottage, which the owners almost never visit in winter, one instantaneous water heater with several water intake points, or a couple of built-in heaters in the kitchen and bathroom is quite enough.

Assessing advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

1. Low price.
2. Compact, easy to install.
3. Get hot water quickly.

Flaws:

1. Limited application. Inability to provide hot water to the entire home.
2. High power consumption.
3. Insufficient water heating for showering.
4. Inability to connect to a regular outlet. The need for direct connection to the electrical panel.

Selecting a flow-through heater

To select the best device, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the home and the operating features of the heater.

Purpose of use

For a kitchen sink, bathroom or toilet, you can choose a low-power flow-through heater faucet that replaces an ordinary mixer.

Often the best choice for a kitchen in a summer cottage or at home is a model with a heating indicator and a flexible spout that allows you to adjust the height of the gander and the depth of the outlet in place of the mixer.

For a stylish bathroom, it is better to choose a more expensive device, equipped with a number of heating modes, a security system and a stylish appearance.

If the owners’ plans include not only washing their hands and face, but also taking a shower, it makes sense to choose small-sized instantaneous mounted water heaters equipped with both a tap and a shower head. They are easy to install in the smallest spaces, and a capacity of 2 l/min is enough for taking a shower.

Selection by availability of functions for improving water parameters

The water you frequently use is too hard. At the same time, equipment for making it softer has not yet become widespread.

In order to reduce the effect of hard water on the heater, it is equipped with an anti-scale function. The methods of such protection may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but its absence in systems with hard water will lead to premature failure of the equipment.

Thanks to their ease of installation and affordable price, the popularity of instantaneous water heaters is constantly growing.

Storage water heaters

The main source of hot water supply in permanent residences is still storage water heaters.They require time to heat the water, but with proper selection of the tank volume based on the number of residents and their tastes, the supply of hot water, as with flow-through heating, can be made continuous.

For storage heaters, even the most powerful devices, designed for a volume of 100 liters, usually have a power of up to 2 kW. Modern models are very different from previous devices, which were a simple metal cylinder in a heat-insulating case with a heating element.

Today's appliances have become smarter. They have increased energy efficiency. In addition, the heaters have increased service life, improved appearance and expanded functionality. Innovative solutions are present not only in top models. They can also be found in budget series.

Selecting the capacity of the water heater tank

For convenience, we summarize the data in a table.

Advantages:

1. They provide hot water to the entire household without being tied to any one water intake point.
2. Economical. The power is 2-3 times less than that of flow-through heaters.

Flaws:

1. It takes some time to heat the water.
2. The need for regular maintenance.

Selection of storage heater

The purchased storage electric water heater should last a long time. This necessitates a thorough approach to device selection. Let's look at some options that may affect your purchase.

Selection by heating element type

The water in the tank is heated, as before, using a heating element.However, in addition to the classic heating element in direct contact with water, there is also a “dry” heating element. The name speaks for itself.

The heating element is placed in a special flask, which avoids contact with water and, as a result, prevents the formation of scale. The non-contact heating system does not make the heating element eternal. From time to time the heating element needs to be replaced. But for a “dry” heating element this happens less often.

At the same time, replacement is simpler, since it does not require draining the liquid from the reservoir. Therefore, when choosing the type of heating elements, it is best to give preference to “dry” heating elements.

Selection by material of the internal tank

The main obstacle in the fight against corrosion, which cannot be avoided in any place where water is heated, is the material from which the internal tanks are made. Heater manufacturers include 2 types of internal tanks in their design:

1. Made of stainless steel with alloy.
2. Made of enamelled steel.

Both types of materials are resistant to corrosion. This allows the tank to remain sealed for a long time and the device to remain operational. The manufacturer guarantees a stainless steel tank for up to 8 years, and an enameled tank for up to 7 years.

In reality, the service life is longer. After all, in addition to the metal of the tank, a number of other solutions save you from scale.

Choice of methods of protection against corrosion and scale

In an electric water heater, corrosion protection is provided to 2 types of anodes:

1. Magnesium - eliminates corrosion of the walls and seams of the tank and increases the service life of the heating element. In this case, the anodes themselves are destroyed, requiring periodic replacement. Leading models of storage heaters are equipped with oversized magnesium anodes.
2. Titanium (electronic) - during operation, such anodes are preserved and do not need to be replaced. However, heaters with a stainless steel tank and a titanium anode cost 3 thousand rubles more, compared to analogues with an enameled tank and a magnesium anode. But such a difference in cost allows you not to call a technician every year to replace the anode, spending 2 thousand rubles. for one. Equipment with a titanium anode will pay for itself quickly.

ECO mode

Modern water heaters in the above-budget segment are equipped with a built-in ECO mode to protect heating elements from scale and increase their durability. When it is turned on, the water heats up quickly, but only up to 50-55 ˚C. At this temperature, scale almost does not occur, and the magnesium anode is subject to less consumption.

Sometimes the user may need to change some parameters remotely. The latest models are equipped with a WiFi module, which is built-in or optional. Voice assistants like Alice make control even more perfect - the choice of the new generation.

Form and method of installation

Rectangular-shaped devices with the possibility of different orientations have long proven their convenience and ergonomics. The water heater can be installed both vertically and horizontally.

New flat-plate water heaters have become safer to operate and take up less space in the house.

Storage heaters for solving typical problems

To simplify the choice, we present a number of series of water heaters that solve typical problems:

1. Electronic control, a stainless steel tank, a titanium anode - not the most “advanced”, but reliable equipment - the choice of buyers who do not need unnecessary options, from their point of view.
2. Mechanical control, stainless steel tank, dry heating elements, magnesium anode - the choice of opponents of electronic control systems.
   
3. Electronic control, an enameled steel tank, dry heating elements, a magnesium anode, a water sanitation complex - the choice of buyers who attach importance to safety and fine-tuning.
   
4. Mechanical control, compact small-capacity square design, enameled steel tank, magnesium anode - the choice for the owners of a summer house in an old garden cooperative. Quickly heats a small amount of water. (20 minutes – 10 liters).

conclusions

For a small summer cottage equipped with a shower, an instantaneous water heater with scale protection is quite suitable. For real hot water supply, it is better to choose storage water heaters. The recommended choice is quality products from well-known brands.