Hot Water Systems
Hot water systems
Gas hot water systems
You can see in the diagram that a water heater uses nothing more than the "heat rises" principle to separate hot water from cold water in the tank.
As cold water comes in, it remains at the bottom of the tank because it is denser than hot water. If you use the hot water faster than the heating elements can heat the incoming cold water, and if you consume all of the hot water that the tank holds, you run out of hot water in the middle of your shower.
If this seems to happen too often, it could mean that the bottom heating element has burned out or that your water heater is too small for your house. Or it could mean that you are taking really, really long showers.
Pros and cons
Pros...
- Gas produces a lot less carbon emissions than your conventional electric system.
- Gas has a faster heat recovery time than electric systems.
- Gas requires a smaller storage tank.
- Can often be cheaper to run than electric systems.
Cons...
- The installation can incur a higher cost.
- Some gas companies impose a tariff for gas systems
For more information, check out the links below.