A hot water system should provide enough of hot water as and when required by all the family members. There is a wide range of options available these days which can provide the required water without any compromises made on the efficiency. Different houses require different types of systems and to find out which one is best suitable for your home you need to consider certain factors. You need to make a choice between the Solar heating systems, electric ones or those which run on gas.
Solar Heating Systems:
This hot water system consists of panels which work as a solar collector. Besides this, it also consists of a storage tank. A family of around 4 members requires a solar collector with an area of four square meters with a tank of 360L. You need to make sure that the panels are installed in an area where they can do their job of collecting the solar energy required. With a booster of electric or gas in the tank, you can be assured of getting the required hot water even on days there is little or no sunshine. Though this does work out a wee bit expensive but tends to make up for the cost due to the low running charges over a period of time. You can look for incentives and Government rebates when you opt for this hot water system.
Gas Hot Water System:
If you have the connection for natural gas, this works out a better option as compared to the electric hot water system. The water can be heated as required besides which this tends to be an affordable option. You can opt for an instantaneous system or look out for a storage tank. The installation of this is normally in the outdoors as venting is required. There are some of these systems which have a pilot light which can reduce the consumption of gas. Instead of natural gas, LPG or liquid petroleum gas can be used. This can increase the cost of running this hot water system.
Electric Hot Water System:
Though this system might work out to be more affordable for both the purchase and installation, it may turn into a costly affair to run or operate, especially if this is used on a routine basis. You have the option of looking for systems which run on electricity off-peak. The requirement here will be a larger storage tank so that enough water can be stored. The installation can be either indoors or even outdoors with a tank of 160L for a family of four.
How to Choose a Hot Water System:
It is advisable to get a professional to analyze the usage of hot water in a home and then decide on a specific hot water system. With the right advice, you can opt for the right size, which is neither too large nor too small. You need to inform how many people are there and how often hot water is used, like, if it is used for washing utensils and clothes also besides bathing.
Keeping Your Budget in Focus:
Plan out your budget before you decide on any specific hot water system. This will help you in finding the right one as there is wide range of options available. You can think of searching online and comparing the different prices. Certain suppliers do offer discounts which you can avail. Space is another consideration before you install the system. A small household cannot think of buying a system which is on the larger side.
The specific factors considered can help you in making the right choice hot water system for your home.