There are many types of water-heating systems. Chambers Heating & A.C. Service routinely services several makes and models from among the following types of equipment.
Oil Fired Tank Water Heater
An oil fired water heater comes in a variety of sizes and utilizes an oil burner as its heating source. Heat is vented into a chimney or through the wall (with the assistance of a “power venter,” if a chimney is not available). Oil fire water heaters have an excellent hot water recovery rate, allowing this equipment to meet the needs of large households or buildings with a high occupancy.
Gas Fired Tank Water Heaters
This standard tank type water heater is found in the majority of homes. This equipment provides years of trouble-free operation with just a little maintenance. This type of water heater heats cold water using natural gas or propane as a source of fuel and then stores the hot water until it is needed. The tank is vented into a chimney or through the wall (with the assistance of a power venter if a chimney is not available).
Electric Tank Water Heater
An electric tank water heater comes in a variety of sizes, heating water by means of electric coils that are mounted inside the tank. The electric coils heat the cold water inside the tank, which stores the hot water until it is ready for use. A primary advantage of an electric water heater is that no exhaust venting is needed
Tankless Coil Heaters
A tankless coil heater is a coil of pipe that is generally inserted into a gas or oil-fired boiler. The water flows through the coil picking up heat from the surrounding boiler water only when needed. These are popular for households that have either hot-water baseboard heat or steam heat. A couple of advantages over tank heaters is they take up no space in the basement and they have no stand by heat loss as water is only heated when needed.
Indirect Fired Water Heater
An indirect fired water heater is a separate insulated water tank that is heated using hot water from the gas- or oil-fired boiler. The indirect tank is usually plumbed to be a separate “zone” on the heating system. An advantage of this system is that, during the warmer months, the boiler only has to fire up occasionally to heat water in the indirect tank. An addition benefit is the ability to draw hot water from the tank multiple times before the boiler turns on to heat water in the tank. Finally, because there is no burner on the storage tank, it can be wrapped with extra insulation without dealing with air supply or venting. Many of these units come with a lifetime warranty for the homeowner.
Wall Mounted Tankless Water Heater
Tankless water heaters are compact, wall-mounted units that provide hot water as needed, without storing it as traditional tanks do. A tankless water heater is a highly efficient system when it is carefully specified and selected, appropriately sized, and centrally located. When properly installed and regularly maintained, these heaters can provide endless amounts of hot water. Tankless water heaters can be fueled by natural gas, propane or electricity.