Custom Home Buidling- What Type Of Water Heater Should I Select For My Home?
I recommend an 80 gallon, tank type, direct vent, water heater with an electric recirculating pump for almost instant hot water at every faucet. An 80 gal tank will never run out of hot water no mater how many teenagers you have!
Why a gas water heater?
- Faster recovery time than electric.
- The price of gas is less expensive than electric in Orlando area.
Read More- Why You Should Not Buy A Tankless Water heater
Above- Indirect vent, water heater. Notice PVC vent piping, red timer for recirculating pump and hot water pipe wrapped with insulation to save energy.
Florida Architects are used to homeowners selecting electric water heaters so little consideration is given to their location. An electric water heater only requires water and an electrical feed. They can be placed almost anywhere in the home. The Architect usually positions them inside the garage. That can be a big mistake if the home is designed for electric and the Owner’s end up selecting a water heater that requires direct venting for a gas water heater.
There are two types of gas, water tank, heaters, direct vent and the indirect type. With a direct vent the vent stack travels vertically from the top of the tank through the structure of the house and out to the roof. This water heater works fine as long as there is nothing positioned above the water heater, like a bedroom, bonus room or other living space. If that's the case, then a the only tank type water heart that will work is an indirect style.
This type of water heater is designer with an electric blower motor positioned on top of the heater. The blower kicks on each time the water heater does so any exhaust fumes that are created are blown through the vent pipe to the exterior. This enables the water heater to be positioned almost anywhere. The indirect venting makes the best of a bad situation but the end results are not the best. This is what happens:
- More maintenance is required.
- The blower motor uses electricity so it's cost more to use than a direct vent water heater.
- The blower motor is noisy.
- This type of heater is less reliable.
- They are more expensive to buy.
The solution to this issue is hiring the right building team and making your decision to use a gas water heater known before construction while you are designing your home. The Architect can position your direct vent, water heater so that it can be vented directly above the tank.
I have a friend that always says, “It’s easy when you know”. Now you know what type of water heater to select and why.
Have an awesome day!
Mike
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