Have you ever looked at your heating system and wondered if that same system could heat the water in your home? It makes sense, most heating systems from gas furnaces to electric heaters are extremely efficient at creating heat that can be used.
It almost seems redundant to use a separate heating apparatus to keep hot water in our homes for personal use. Luckily, you’re on the right track to figuring out what an indirect water heater does!
In this post, we’re going to go into detail about what an indirect water heater is, how it works, and some of the benefits that come from investing in this kind of water heater. Note that it’s not going to be perfect for every homeowner, and there are now tankless models that can make indirect water heating less popular than it used to be–but it’s still a viable option for people who want them. Without further ado, let’s talk about indirect water heaters in Grand Rapids, MI!
How an Indirect Water Heater Works
Heat doesn’t work in a binary system. There’s not hot and cold and nothing in between. In fact, depending on people’s preferences, one person could say a room is too hot and the other person could say it’s too cold. What’s important is that our heating systems keep our homes comfortable enough to live in.
Now, imagine if that heating system could also heat your water. This is really what an indirect water heater does. It hooks up the tank of water to your heating system, whether it’s a furnace or a heat pump, and uses the residual heat created from the system to heat the water. This might mean that if your heat pump or furnace system is highly efficient and powerful enough, it can heat your water with only a slight additional cost of gas or electricity.
Indirect water heaters aren’t for everyone though. Many heating systems are only built to be powerful enough to heat the home, and any additional stress from water heating needs might be too much for the system itself. But indirect water heaters can be a great option for a homeowner that’s looking to install a new, high-efficiency furnace, with a water heater combination as well.
Why Invest in an Indirect Water Heater?
Indirect water heaters can be a great purchase for a few reasons.
- As we mentioned above, if you’re investing in both a heating system and a water heater then an indirect water heating system is a great idea. This ensures the heater is large and powerful enough to heat your home and your water at the same time.
- They’re extremely efficient. If you’ve got a high-efficiency furnace then your water heater is also going to be very efficient!
- They use one source of heat. Sometimes it’s cheaper to have just one source of heat in your home when you need repairs or any work done. Instead of repairs that need to be done on both a water heater and a heating system, you’ll often just need to make repairs on the heating unit and the water heater will be fixed as well.
Ready to see if your home is the right fit for an indirect water heater? Then let’s get started!
Contact GRmetro Heating and Cooling Inc to schedule an appointment with a professional.
