Francis Plumbing & Heating
Ottawa's Home Comfort
Specialist
(613) 224-0041
HOT WATER TANKS & WATER HEATERS
Water Heaters Basics There are several types of water heaters using several types of energy. The most common water heaters in the Ottawa region are electric tank type water heaters and gas tank type water heaters. Both of these can be easily rented from one of the larger province wide contractors. But be warned. Hot water tank rental fees will soon equal and surpass the initial cost to purchase the tank out right! Rental tanks are usually paid in full in their first 1 to 3 years and the average tank is rented for 10 to 12 years so you could end up paying up 5 to 10 times the price you need to pay for a hot water tank). NOTICE: Get your Free report: "Hot Water Tank Rental Scam" to avoid paying over $19,000.00 Another point to consider for the gas rental tanks is the quality. I know if you are renting you don't care about the quality, But you should. These tanks have an energy factor of only .62% (if they are the top of the line energy star rated tanks) when they are brand new. And over time the accumulation of sediment in the bottom of the tank further reduces the energy efficiency of the unit. These tanks simply were not made to be efficient just cheap to rent. The low rental price tag is attractive but the energy bills will not be. Also note that if you are going to be in your home more than 1 year it pays to buy rather than rent. Another misconception is that the water heaters that exhaust out the side of the house are high efficient. Where this may be the case with your furnace it is NOT with you water heater. It is the exact same tank design with an added fan to allow for side-wall exhaust. This allows for more installation possibilities and eliminates the need to build a chimney just for the hot water tank. The only high
efficiency natural gas hot water tanks available today are the expensive "condensing hot water
tanks" (Note: the high efficiency instantaneous tankless water heating system is a much cheaper price than a
condensing hot water tank). Not many people can afford to have the high efficiency natural gas condensing hot
water tanks installed. There is currently a strong movement in Ottawa towards the tankless water heating systems. These tankless systems (or
instantaneous hot water systems) have an energy factor around 82% to 98% efficiency and are designed in
such a way as to allow for future cleaning to maintain that efficiency (plus there are new government incentive
rebates for changing to high efficiency).
Deciding which type of water heater to go with is not always as easy as you would hope. You need to consider your budget, the time you will be in the home and your hot water consumption patterns. Once you know what your situation is you can then make an informed decision based on your specific needs. So what are your options: The cheapest option of course is an electric hot water tank. The electric water heater is quiet and usually reliable too (depending of course upon the make and model). That being said electricity is an expensive energy source that will cost you more in the long run to operate. But for some with small hot water demands or if you plan on selling your home and moving in the next two years electric is still a viable option. The second option is to switch to gas There are two types of traditional gas hot water tanks used in the Ottawa region: The natural draft gas hot water tank vents directly above the tank and the exhaust goes straight up your chimney. This is a very quiet hot water tank to operate and since it runs on gas instead of electricity it is cheaper to operate. It will also continue running even if your electricity goes out. The natural draft gas water heaters are more expensive than electric and require two licensed technicians* to install it (a licensed plumber and a licensed G2 gas technician who is TSSA certified). The second option for people who do not already have a pre-existing chimney that meets Ontario building codes is the power vent gas hot water tank. The power vent gas water heater is exactly the same as a natural draft except that it has a powerful fan on top to physically blow the dangerous exhaust out a side wall since there is no chimney for the exhaust to go up. The fan on these hot water tanks can be quite noisy and unfortunately there really isn't a quiet solution to that problem. But if the sound doesn't bother you it is certainly cheaper than having to rip open your entire home from foundation to roof in order to have a chimney put in. The power vent gas hot water tank is the most expensive of the three standard hot water tanks used locally. It also requires the same two licensed technicians* to install this tank in addition to a licensed electrician to wire in the fan. If your electricity goes out your power vent gas water heater will automatically turn itself off - it cannot operate without the fan blowing the dangerous carbon monoxide out the side wall venting.
All three types of tanks have the same basic features.
*WARNING: If you have a hot water tank installed by anyone who does not have a plumbing license AND and certified G2 gas license you could loose more than you bargained for just to save a few dollars! If your hot water tank leaks (water OR deadly carbon monoxide exhaust OR dangerous & explosive natural gas) and it causes either death, life threatening health risks or property damage; your homeowner insurance policy, health insurance policy, and life insurance policy may be negated. You can also be charged with fraud and wilful life endangerment if a tenant becomes ill or dies because of the improperly installed hot water tank in your building. When it comes to the lives of your family and the safety of your most expensive asset (your home) why take the risk? It is better to pay a few dollars more to have it professionally installed so you can sleep at night knowing your family is safe. Hot Water Tank Mixing Valves are going into the Ontario Building code book soon which means every new hot water tank installation must also include a mixing valve (anti-scalding device). To learn more about this upcoming mandatory mixing valve click here. Please note that tankless systems already have mixing valves built right into them and thus do not require this additional cost device. To learn more about tankless click here
|
