Electric heaters are used when it is not possible to use a source of centrally prepared hot water or the distance to connect utensils to the hot utility water installation is too large.

In this post, we tell you four mistakes to look for when doing water heater installations.

1. Non-Insulated Hot Water Pipes

Following applicable regulations, all pipes in hot water systems should be wrapped with a thickness of at least 20 mm. When you use insulation material with a different heat transfer coefficient, the thickness of the insulation layer should be corrected accordingly.

However, much thinner lagging pipes are widely used which contributes to energy loss and reduces comfort. If the insulation is insufficient, the water cools faster and, as a consequence, you have to wait longer for the water to flow out at the desired temperature.

2. No Expansion Vessel

The hot water system fed from the storage tank should be equipped with an expansion vessel that prevents the pressure from rising due to the volume of heated water increasing. Although most capacitive devices are equipped with a safety valve, its operation leads to the outflow of water and flooding of equipment located nearby.

Installation of the expansion vessel is particularly recommended for large tanks and when installing non-return valves on cold water supply, e.g. backflow preventers, in a pressure tank or pump. They make it impossible to reduce the pressure taken back by the water supply system backward. The tank capacity should be about 4% of the volume of the hot water tank.

3. Using Accessories with Corrosion Resistance

Install hot water equipment that is corrosion resistant and unpopular water pollutants. It is quite common to use fittings intended for central heating installations, which are adapted to work in other conditions.

With the widespread use of plastic pipes and fittings, there is no problem with corrosion resistance. But in copper installations, in areas with very low water hardness and with low water pH, the durability of the installation should be reduced, especially at high temperatures and fast flow. Also, steel, non-galvanized fittings cannot be used. Circulation pumps should be made of materials adapted to the hot utility water installation

4. Poor Circulation

In single-family homes, water intake is carried out for a short time, at large intervals. So, if hot water is constantly maintained in the pipes, energy losses can be large. Heat losses can be reduced by improving pipe insulation in the circulation circuit. It is also worth installing a timer controlling the operation of the pump, which is started only for the period of anticipated consumption of hot water (e.g. morning and evening).

It is also advisable to install a thermostat that maintains a slightly lower temperature in the pipes than the one set in the tank (this arrangement works well in homes where residents use hot water at regular times).

After some time hot water from the tank will flow in and the heater will turn off. Choose electric heaters that smoothly adapt the power to the temperature of the incoming water.