Emergency Plumbing Services

Posts Tagged ‘Hot Water System’

I think tankless water heaters have many pros – and a few cons or considerations. They were originally designed to be used in situations where a tank is undesirable and/or inefficient, such as a building with very minimal hot water demand. They are more commonly used overseas than in the US, because we are not conscience of or concerned about space or efficiency as much as we should be.

Since water is heated on an as needed basis you can save tremendously.Think about how much energy ( money ) is wasted heating a huge tank of water to a certain temperature and maintaining that temperature as water is being constantly released. There are other more conventional alternatives that may be as good or better. For example,dollar savings are diminished or even nonexistent if the alternative is a hot water system integrated into your gas or oil heating system. If the price of gas or oil is especially low in your area, a stand alone tank unit using these fuels may be competitive if you take the extra effort to superinsulate the tank (via wrapping the tank with insulation) and keep the temperature down to under 110 – 150 degrees depending on how hot you like your water to be.

There is a consideration you must understand before making a purchase decision on a tankless water heater. Tank-type water heaters can supply enough hot water to run multiple hot water appliances or showers at the same time, provided you install a unit that can handle your needs. Of course,they can run out of heated water,since they have a limited capacity.

Tankless heaters, on the other hand, have large drop-offs in water temperature as the water flow through them increases. The elements in a tankless water heater heat the water up to an adjustable maximum temperature. Keep in mind that you can not be taking a hot shower, running the dishwasher and the hot washer cycle at the same time with a tankless water heater – one negative feature. Of course, this negative feature can be overcome by changing your hot water usage habits… for example only using one hot water appliance at a time, scheduling showers at different times than other members of your family, etc. It would be best to install several TWH
( tankless water heaters ) in the respective areas in your home.Otherwise you run the risk of being in the middle of a nice relaxing shower and then running out of hot water! On the positive side, with a tankless unit you never run out of hot water, since it heats on demand.

There are a number of companies out there that sell these units. I can not give a product recommendation, but I would get their usage statistics prior to buying. Another possible source of information would be your local plumbing supply house and NOT a hardware store. They will sell them but they do not have educated staff to help you make the proper purchase.

When you aready to make the installation, consider a local, licensed, bonded, insured handyman for the job. 90 % of the time a plumber and an electrcian is definetely needed while other times a carpenter, drywaller/ painter is also needed to modify or repair an area where an old tank was removed. It is less expensive, less of a hassle and quicker to hire one person instead of potentially three or more.

Commercial solar hot water is not new. Large and small companies, hotels and resorts have been using it to save money for years now.

Not until recently have Commercial Plumbing Contractors pursued the solar how water niche. The demand use to be low but today we are now finding more and more licensed plumbing contractors being asked to contribute their knowledge and expertise in the solar hot water area. Whether it is a system for a new commercial project/facility or an eco-friendly addition, commercial plumbers are being asked to design/build systems for facilities from simple neighborhood laundry mats, public swimming pools to some of the largest name hotels, resorts and institutions. All businesses are looking to cut costs in their fuel energy costs and solar hot water is turning out to be a ‘hot’ and money saving solution.

All you really need today for effective solar hot water heating are two things: you need solar panels and you need a hot water storage tank. Solar panels are made from evacuated tube collectors that simply collect the solar energy from the sun, transfer this heat to the water and then into the copper coil heat exchanger located inside the hot water storage tank and from there it moves on to the domestic hot water system. This is one of the most efficient ways to use the energy of the sun for hot water uses.

The second component for solar hot water is the storage hot water tank. A storage tank can be designed and built for any type or size of project, regardless if it is for a new building or a pre-existing building. So long as you have a place that is flat, level and can support the weight of the water in the tank. Getting very large water storage tanks into existing buildings use to be a major problem but today we use a specially designed storage tank that comes in a collapsible form and can fit through a 19 inch door way and be set up in a matter of hours. This tank is state of the art and a one of a kind. This unique collapsible design is what makes it ideal for pre-exisitng buildings.

Commercial solar hot water systems allow businesses to be eco-friendly and save money each month as a side benefit. It also gives them the edge on attracting more clientele. With so many choices for consumers to choose from, more and more consumers are looking at the “Green” factor when making their decisions. Although, quality and service is still a major deciding factor, eco-friendly/green is also playing a key role in consumers decisions. This decision making has become especially important for travelers, whether it is for vacations or for business. Green Hotels are becoming a high priority on travelers check lists.

Generally, speaking, a solar hot water system will reduce your utility bill from 25% to 85% depending if you are on LP Gas, Electric, Natural Gas or Fuel Oil.Your new hot water system will start saving you money the day it goes into operation.

Another benefit of a commercial solar hot water system is a reduction in your building temperature during the hot summer months when the A/C usage it at its peak. The solar panels placed on the roof are not only absorbing the sun for your hot water, they are also blocking the suns penetration into your building. This will have a direct effect on the inside heat of your building resulting in a drastic reduction in your A/C usage which in turn lowers your utility bill.

Installing a solar hot water system is a win-win situation no matter how you look at it.

1. You become an active participant in the move to alternative energy and get your building designated as a green company.

2. You will reduce your overall utility bill (electric or LP gas, natural gas or oil fuel)

3. If your business is located in the United States, you will qualify for Federal, State and Local Rebates, reducing your overall costs to about half.

4. You will attract more clientele and be known as an eco-friendly business

5. You will increase the value in your property making your property much more desirable for buyers verses your competition who is still on an electric or gas system.