Which water heater is better - instantaneous or storage for home and garden?

Every homeowner faces an acute question in choosing a water heater. It doesn’t matter whether he lives in an apartment or in a separate house. Often the choice is between instantaneous water heaters and storage heating element boilers. Each of them has its own disadvantages and advantages. Let's compare them with each other and answer the two most exciting questions: which water heater is more practical and economical.

Main distinctive features of water heaters

In order to continuously use hot water, the maximum temperature of which is 65 °C, instantaneous water heaters are installed. In each such device, the heating element is located in a separate chamber. It has limited dimensions. Water is heated when it comes into contact with a heating element. At the same time, manufacturers produce water heating equipment of different designs. It requires electricity or natural gas to operate.

Instantaneous water heaters are equipped with a regulator to set the water heating temperature. Experts recommend paying attention to induction water heating devices. These are vessels of a closed design. They house metal fuel elements. For example, 5mm steel balls.

An electrical appliance may structurally consist of a pipe. It is made of plastic and wrapped with a copper cable. When current passes through a conductor, vortex currents begin to be induced on metal elements capable of generating heat. As a result, the steel parts heat up and transfer thermal energy to the water passing through the pipe.

Design features of an induction heater Source stroyfora.ru

The disadvantages of a water supply system with a flow-through heater include the need to ensure sufficient water pressure. To do this, the pump unit is installed. Although it is always installed during the construction of an autonomous water supply system in a country house.

When choosing equipment for an independent water supply system, you need to know the difference between an instantaneous water heater and a storage device. Thus, the main feature of the second type of water heating device is the ability to accumulate and heat water, as well as maintain its temperature. In private residential buildings, capacious devices with a volume of 200 liters or more are usually installed. This characteristic affects the water heating time.

The maximum temperature of heated water in storage equipment is 95 °C. However, consumers do not use such device capabilities. Typically heating is carried out to 65-75 °C. Subsequently, the water is used through a mixer.

Temperature of heated water in the device Source irecommend.ru

In a storage water heater, water is usually heated by electricity or natural gas. Recently, homeowners have also begun to use solar energy for these purposes.

Most popular models

Which is the best water heater to buy in terms of the variety of models and additional functions, it is better to decide based on your budget. Here are the most popular representatives of flow storage devices:

• Zanussi 3-logic 3.5 S is a fairly powerful and inexpensive device for practical owners;
• Hyundai H-IWR1-3P-CS – has average power and all the necessary protection;
• Electrolux NPX6 Aquatronic Digital is a good, powerful and expensive model.

Storage water heaters:

• TIMBERK SWH FE5 50 – a flat, neat device with a powerful heating element and all the necessary panels and settings;
• THERMEX FLAT PLUS IF 50V – the best ratio of cost and quality, wear resistance;
• ELECTROLUX EWH 100 ROYAL is a safe boiler with a variety of electronic components and all kinds of protection.

All of the listed models have been tested by people and are used very successfully. Of course, there are cheaper options, but the quality may suffer. A “bad” boiler can heat up for a very long time, lose too much electricity and, in general, “eat” more money from the owners than the price for a high-quality model.

Features of running water heaters

Tap water heaters not only have different designs, but also differ in workmanship. After all, they are produced by various manufacturers. However, they have the same principle of operation - water is heated in the flow almost instantly using a powerful tubular electric heater (TEH). The heating element is turned on automatically after opening the tap (mixer).

Instantaneous water heaters are reliable devices that are easy to use. Before deciding which water heater is better - storage or instantaneous, you need to know that manufacturers produce the second type of equipment in closed pressure and non-pressure open versions. The first option is designed to provide hot water to several consumers at once. However, the efficiency of the devices is affected by the pressure in the water supply system.

Closed pressure instantaneous water heaters in the kitchen and bathroom Source lifehacker.ru

The operation of non-pressure flow heaters is not affected by pressure in the water supply. However, in order for such water heating devices to function, they must be connected to a water supply point.

Regardless of the type of running water heater, the equipment is equipped with a control system. It is located in the housing and automatically turns off the electricity if the temperature begins to rise above the permissible norm.

For flow-through devices, heating elements or heaters in the form of a spiral are placed inside tubes made of high-strength plastic, copper, brass or in sealed housings of the water heaters themselves. Regardless of location, they cool almost instantly when the water supply stops. If brass or copper tubes are used, the overall fire safety of the water heating device increases.

Open heating element Source amazonaws.com

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in electrical work of any complexity

Heating process control

Before deciding which water heater is better - instantaneous or storage for a private home, you need to get acquainted with the heating process control circuits. There are two options:

1. Hydraulic control is a manual method. It implies a 6-stage process adjustment for most models. The hydraulic option will not allow the heater to turn on if there is low pressure in the water supply system.
2. Electronic automatic control, which works due to the presence of a thermostat in the design of the water heating device. It is used to set the required temperature.

The automatic option offers maximum convenience. Therefore, water heaters that are electronically controlled are popular. Heating control is carried out via a microprocessor. It controls the set temperature while consuming minimal power. Therefore, electronically controlled water heaters are economical devices.

Electronically controlled water heater Source azbukasantehniki.ru

Advantages and disadvantages of flow systems

Simple installation has influenced the popularity of running water heating systems. The equipment is convenient to use because heating is carried out in a matter of seconds. You just need to turn on the device, use it, and then just as easily turn it off. There is no restriction on the volume of water used.

On a note! A heater with a 100 liter tank will heat this volume of water in about 5 hours.

When choosing an instantaneous water heater, the pros and cons of the equipment must be taken into account. The advantages of such a device include:

1. High level of efficiency while consuming a small amount of water, exceeding that of boilers.
2. No need for complex care and maintenance.
3. High quality heated water, which allows you to drink it and use it for preparing various dishes.
4. Small in size, which allows you to mount the water heating device in a secluded place. This could be a specially prepared niche, a space under the sink. There are even models that are installed instead of a faucet on a sink in a kitchen or bathroom.

Option for a water heating device for a sink Source pandashop.md
Another advantage is the lower price compared to the cost of boiler tanks. To accurately decide which water heater to choose - instantaneous or storage, you need to remember the disadvantages of the water flow heating system:

1. As the power of the device increases, the electricity consumption increases.
2. Flow-through equipment heats water to a maximum of 42 °C.
3. Constant operation of the heating device is possible only with an uninterrupted supply of electricity. Therefore, at some sites it is necessary to connect devices when using stabilizers.
4. Electrical energy consumption increases when it is necessary to heat a large volume of water.

Important! The running water heating system is very powerful. For this reason, separate wiring must be laid to connect them. They cannot be connected to a public network. The cable cross-section is selected according to the power of the water heating device. When connecting, you must use a separate machine, designed for a current of 9 to 16 A.

One of the options for the electrical circuit for connecting a flow-through heater Source 1poteply.ru

Calculating the cost of hot water supply in an apartment

Almost every apartment has meters installed to determine the volume of monthly consumption of cold and hot water. If there are no meters, the following standards have been approved: in apartments with running water, sewerage, centralized hot water supply, with bathtubs more than 1500 mm long, equipped with showers, hot water consumption per person is 3 cubic meters.

The hot water temperature should be in the range of 50 ° C - 75 ° C. But on average it is heated only to 55 ° C. It rarely goes higher. You can easily see this for yourself if you try to measure the temperature of the water that comes out of the tap.

We recommend the product Boiler Atlantic Steatite Cube Slim VM 50 S3 C 1500W 13 reviews

In stock

Depth, mm: 347 | Height, mm: 904 | Width, mm: 342 | Heating element power, W: 1500 | Heating element type: dry | Volume, l: 50 |

Dry mathematics using real examples:

In Kyiv the cost of 1 cubic meter. m. (1000 liters) of hot water, if water heated towel rails are connected, is 84.45 UAH, if they are not - 78.08 UAH.

Conclusion: if more than one person is registered in the apartment, installing a hot water meter will allow you to save significant money every month.

Features of storage water heaters

When choosing equipment, you need to know exactly the features of the storage water heating device. Therefore, we will consider its optimal volume, power consumption, heating elements used, and installation features.

Storage boiler capacity

To determine the volume of a water heater, you need to have a good idea of ​​how often and for what it will be used. When heated water is needed solely for washing dishes, pots, etc., it is recommended to take a closer look at a boiler with a capacity of 15 liters.

If you plan to do laundry, periodically wash in the bathtub and shower, then choose a heating device with a tank from 100 to 200 liters. Two or three water points can be connected to a device of this volume. In this case, the boiler is selected taking into account the available free space.

Large volume water storage heater Source lmcdn.fr

Heating elements and power of the hot water storage tank

When determining which boiler is better - storage or flow-through, it is imperative to remember that the power of the storage tank affects the supply of heated water. In spacious devices, several heating elements are installed. Storage tanks are usually equipped with closed heating elements. In other words, the nichrome heating element is placed in a protective tube made of brass or copper.

If a tank with a maximum volume of 15 liters is installed, its power will be approximately 1 kW. When equipment with a capacity of 30 to 50 liters is selected, this parameter will already be 1.5 kW. A tank with a volume of 80 liters or more is equipped with a heating element, whose power will be at least 2.5 kW.

On a note! As the boiler capacity increases, the water heating time increases.

What is characteristic

So, when choosing a water heater, focus on the following parameters:

• minimum/maximum operating pressure;
• power consumption;
• the material from which the tank and heating element are made;
• degree of protection - whether or not it can be installed next to a faucet or shower;
• what kind of water it can work with (is it acceptable to use water with a high iron content, etc.);
• degree of heating - to what temperature and how much water can be heated in 1 minute.

All this is in the description - or he will know what to ask the seller about.

Not all available means are safe. Image: vk.com

Video description

How to drain water from a boiler is shown in the video:

Important! In hot water storage tanks with wet heating elements that have direct contact with water, limescale deposits occur during operation. It is formed on heaters. With its appearance, the efficiency of the heating process decreases. This forces you to clean the heating elements every year or replace them.

Installation features

A floor-mounted storage boiler is the easiest to install. It is installed in a pre-prepared place strictly along the horizon. If the device needs to be mounted on a wall, then it is necessary to choose a durable building structure. After all, a filled boiler weighs hundreds of kilograms. Typically, wall-mounted large storage heating tanks are mounted on a supporting metal frame. For its manufacture, a steel angle is used.

Comparative analysis of storage and flow-type water heaters

When choosing an instantaneous or storage water heater, it will be better to find out a comparison of the costs of their operation. It is also necessary to consider the connection features and how many people they can provide with heated water.

Operating costs when using a flow device and a storage tank-boiler

The cost of providing people with heated water is affected by the volume consumed directly by the residents of the house. Operating costs also significantly depend on consumption culture. If heated water is used wisely, people use common sense, and costs are reduced. When it is turned on for business and without business, financial costs increase significantly.

When calculating operating costs, it is taken into account that running water heating devices do not require regular maintenance compared to boiler tanks. They do not require periodic replacement of heating elements. For these reasons, flow-through systems are less expensive to operate than storage equipment.

The costs of operating a boiler tank are higher than the costs of using a flow-through heater Source ap-climat.ru

Devices for heating running water are energy intensive. Therefore, it is recommended to use water as economically as possible. This is the only way to reduce the amount of money needed to heat it. A boiler with a storage tank can also be used wisely. Therefore, it is necessary to select an acceptable level of heated water consumption at a particular facility.

Installation Features

When deciding whether to choose an instantaneous or storage water heater, you must always remember the need to create an additional water supply circuit when installing a storage tank. Without it it is impossible to operate such boilers. The length of the water supply circuit depends on the installation location of the hot water storage tank.

At the same time, some instantaneous heating devices can be mounted instead of a faucet on a bathroom sink or a faucet in a kitchen. When using this type of device, there is no need to lay additional water supply for them. However, most models of flow-through water heating equipment are installed as close as possible to the water supply point.

Instantaneous water heater installed near the sink Source onlinetrade.ru

Meeting consumer needs

One of the problems that needs to be solved when selecting water heating equipment is the provision of hot water to all residents. When a family consists of 2 or even 3 people, a flow-through heating device is suitable. You can even choose low-power equipment. At the same time, it will heat water only for one water point. Therefore, the residents of the house will be able to use it exclusively in turns.

The storage tank-boiler can be selected to the required capacity. When determining its volume, the number of people living in the house is taken into account. This will allow, for example, one person to wash dishes and another to perform personal hygiene procedures in the bathroom.

Advantages of centralized water supply

• There are no additional costs for purchasing a boiler;
• There is no need to allocate space in the bathroom to install the device;
• Saving time and money on purchasing and installing a multi-tariff meter (if you don’t already have one).

Flaws

• The water temperature rarely corresponds to the declared value;
• Every year the hot water is turned off for preventative testing. The shutdown lasts from two weeks to three to four months.

Briefly about the main thing

When choosing the optimal equipment option, you should always remember that the difference between a instantaneous water heater and a storage water heater lies in the principle of operation. So, the first device heats running water, and the second only heats a specific volume. In this case, the storage tank further maintains a constant temperature of the already heated water in the tank.

Heaters are equipped with protection systems, wet or closed heating elements, mechanical or electronic controls. Flow devices are mounted in close proximity to water points, and for storage tanks such placement is only desirable. In this case, the first type of equipment heats the water to a maximum of 65 °C, and the second - up to 95 °C.

Ratings 0

Read later

Is it really worth it?

A modern boiler will be a good choice when we actually use little water, but at the same time want to save as much as possible on our bills for its consumption. It is said that one of the advantages of such a device is that it works in a sense impulsively. This allows us to save a lot, since we are not faced with a situation where the device works all the time. In addition, the boiler has compact dimensions, so it will fit almost anywhere. This is especially important for devices that are designed to serve multiple water intake points. Remember that with water heaters, it is recommended to place them as close to the faucet as possible. This will allow you to use water comfortably - there is no risk of pressure changes.

What is better - a gas water heater or a boiler? https://www.cok.ru