选择新的热水器很重要. 热水器消耗大量家庭能源. The right water heater type can make a big impact on energy efficiency in your home. When deciding which of the different types of hot water heaters will work best for your home, 有很多事情需要考虑.
坦克或无坦克
Most water heaters rely on a tank to maintain a ready supply of hot water, 但有些是无罐式的，只在需要时加热水.
燃料类型
热水器可以用电、燃气或两者兼而有之. When looking at a new water heater, think about if you’ll want to stick with the same energy source. Changing may cost more upfront but might be a good investment in the long run.
使用
How you plan on using a water heater determines how much hot water it needs to supply, 以及您是否需要单套, individual units at several points in the house or a combination of solutions.
尺寸和外形
Measure your space and take note of any structural features that will affect where the water heater can be installed. Water heaters are available in compact and medium sizes along with the standard configuration.
能力
标准的家用水箱热水器在尺寸和容量上都有不同. 水箱式热水器的容量从20加仑到75加仑不等. 能力 is all about being sure your hot water heater can meet the needs of your home. 储水容量是水箱热水器更关心的问题. 在一般情况下, a 40- to 50-gallon tank is sufficient for an average household of 2 to 3 people, 每增加一个家庭成员就增加10加仑. In a tankless water heater, the capacity is measured by flow rate, calculated in gallons per minute. Getting the correct size of tankless heater requires figuring out how much hot water you may need at any given time, coming up with a flow rate number and then matching that figure to the measure on a given system.
首小时收费(FHR)
How much hot water you get from your water heater in its first hour of operation. 您的油箱的首小时额定功率(FHR)将被印在油箱上. The FHR should be very close to how much water your family uses at its peak time, 具有多个热水使用同时运行. 例如, 在早晨, 你可以洗澡了, 洗碗机和洗衣机已打开, 都需要热水.
Warranty: Find out what type of warranty is offered for your hot water heater. 你会想要利用最长的保修期. 家用热水器的平均寿命为10至15年.
能源效率
热水约占家庭能源消耗的18%. 更换旧热水器是一个很好的选择, 因为更节能的模式可能会出现, 从而节省能源和公用事业成本.
水箱式热水器
传统的水箱热水器储存了大量的水, 在需要的时候加热, 然后通过管道释放. 当热水排出时，更换的冷水就会充满水箱, 加热和储存以备将来使用. 储水式热水器可以由燃气、电力或混合动力提供燃料. Natural gas water heaters are more expensive than electric water heaters and professional installation is recommended which can add to the upfront costs.
Tank water heaters come in various sizes, including compact sizes to fit into small spaces. Household size and fixture load play a big role in determining the right water heater size.
优点:
- 更容易维护和修理.
- 比即热式热水器便宜.
- 易于更换.
缺点:
- 使用更多的能源比其他类型的热水器.
- 在寒冷的天气里，能源消耗增加.
- 需要在家里有很大的空间.
- 如果水箱坏了，有被水淹的危险.
即热式热水器
Tankless gas water heaters and electric tankless water heaters are also called instantaneous or on-demand water heaters. 而不是使用储罐, the water circulates through a coil system that heats the water as needed. Tankless water heaters are rated by the gallons per minute they provide.
优点:
- 需要更少的空间安装.
- Heats water on demand; hot supply is steady.
- 节省能源费用.
缺点:
- 更高的前期成本.
- 旧住宅是否需要升级燃气和/或电气系统.
- 较大的住宅可能需要不止一个单元.
Consider the amount of hot water your household is likely to use when selecting the gallons per minute (GPM) of a tankless water heater.
每分钟加仑平均流量(GPM):
- 浴缸:2.0 – 4.0
- 淋浴:1.5 – 3.0
- 浴室水龙头:0.5
- 厨房水龙头:1.0 – 1.5
- 洗碗机:1.0 – 3.0
- 洗衣机:1台.5 – 3.0
智能热水器
A smart water heater can be a tankless system or a thermostat that works in conjunction with your existing water heater. The system connects to Wi-Fi to give the water heater a lot of desirable features.
优点:
- 监控和调节温度，以节省能源.
- 提供泄漏检测警报，以尽量减少水的损害.
- 循环水温以杀死热水器内的细菌.
缺点:
- 大多数单位需要专业安装.
- 智能技术增加了加热器的总成本.
- 需要备用电源
- 恢复速度较慢.
混合式热水器
另一种类型的热水器, 混合式热水器, 结合了旧风格和新技术的最佳特点. Like traditional water heaters, hybrid water heaters use a standard tank. 而不是用燃料来加热水, hybrid water heaters pull heat from the surrounding air into a converter that heats the water. 它类似于热泵，可以节省能源成本.
优点:
- Energy savings: installing a hybrid water heater can reduce your carbon footprint by as much as 75 percent.
- Many come with wi-fi technology to manage your household’s hot water use.
缺点:
- 混合式热水器的安装成本较高.
- 混合式热水器不是为小户型和空间设计的.
需要考虑的其他功能
过热保护: Keeps the water from overheating in the system by cutting off the power supply once the set temperature is reached.
数字显示: Makes it easier to monitor the temperature and make precise adjustments.
飞行员复位按钮: In a gas (tank or tankless) heater, a button that releases gas, allowing the pilot to be restarted.
导光窗: Most new gas water heaters have a window that lets you check the pilot light more easily than older models.
温度/压力安全阀: An internal valve that opens and closes with fluctuations in temperature and pressure in the hot water system. The valve expels hot water and allows cool water to enter to bring down both temperature and pressure.
热水器膨胀箱
A water heater expansion tank is a small tank installed on the cold-water supply line to a water heater. Its purpose is to help protect the water heating system and plumbing from damage caused by thermal expansion, 当水被加热时会发生什么. Many plumbing codes require water heater expansion tanks for water heating systems with a backflow prevention device, 减压阀, 或在管道系统中安装止回阀. Whether required or not, an expansion tank is recommended as a safety measure.
大多数热水器膨胀罐将使用5到10年. 如果您注意到膨胀箱漏水, 膨胀罐外部生锈或腐蚀, banging or knocking sounds from your pipes when you turn on the hot water, 降低热水压力, 或者不明原因的能源账单增加, 这些可能表明膨胀罐失效.
