Author name: Rai

While water heaters have a finite lifespan and eventually need replacing, there are a few key moves homeowners can make in order to extend the efficiency and years of use out of their hot water heater. Knowing the various factors specific to your home and lifestyle that influence your water heater’s health will allow you to save money from servicing, maintenance, and replacement in the long-term. The lifespan of tank-based water heaters Tank-based hot water heaters are subject to a lot of strain: they are constantly exposed to water, heat, and oxygen, making them prime targets for oxidative and pressure-based stress that will cause wear and tear. With many important components that need to be in good health to optimize the efficiency of your unit, the health of your hot water heater is directly linked to the status of your gaskets, valves, lines, plumbing, and water quality (among more). Because a tank-based water heater is subject to such forces that inevitably degrade its structure and internal components, regular maintenance and servicing is absolutely key to keep it running safely and efficiently over the course of its lifetime. This regular maintenance and servicing only goes so far however: after a certain amount of time, water heaters need replacement as the cost of increasingly-frequent replacement and servicing begins to outweigh the cost of a new unit – not to mention the safety risks that grow over time with an older tank-based water heater. For this reason, the general consensus among hot water heater technicians is to give tank-based water heaters between 8 and 12 years of life before they need to be replaced. After a decade of regular use, it is strongly recommended to consider looking into a new unit as the oxidative damage and the degradation of internal components will make your water heater inefficient and at-risk for leaking and pressure malfunctions. Left unattended, a malfunctioning water heater can flood your home or worse, explode. A. What are a few factors that affect the lifespan of a tank-based water heater? 1. Water hardness 2. Size of tank and household demand B. How do you make your tank-based hot water heater last longer? Now that we have a basic idea of the two key factors that affect a hot water heater’s health, let’s take a gander at some of the steps you can take to extend this lifespan. Keeping in mind that these units need replacing after a decade regardless, when you purchase a new hot water heater you can make some key modifications to your setup and maintenance regimen that will allow that decade to extend up to 15 years. 1. Expansion tanks 2. Water softeners 3. Insulation 4. Regular maintenance 5. Staying aware

In your research for tankless water heaters, you’ll surely be looking into many different manufacturers to find the right unit for you. Brands like RINNAI and Rheem have been making quality products for over a century and offer dependable water heating solutions. EcoSmart has budget-friendly point-of-use models and Stiebel Eltron has ventured into the niche markets of solar-powered water heating for eco-conscious clients wanting to lower their energy footprint even more. Among all these manufacturers however, the more recently-established Navien brand has begun to quickly solidify a strong reputation as a benchmark for quality and cutting-edge technology in tankless water heating. They are the #1 brand for condensing tankless water heaters in Canada and they show no signs of slowing down. With hyper-efficient water heating solutions, proprietary condensing technology, At HiTech Services we work in conjunction with Navien as we strongly believe in their products – additionally, our technicians are all Navien-certified. Call us to learn more about Navien tankless water heating and if it’s the right choice for you and your family. Navien Inc. KD Navien is a relatively new water heating solutions company from South Korea. Founded in 1978, their initial aim was to develop highly-efficient water heaters. 10 years later, they were the first Asian company to develop a condensing water heater that was renowned for its technological breakthroughs. This approach to being the industry standard would remain strong with developments in HVAC solutions, home networks, and zone control – all under the overarching vision of comfort, technology, and greener living. With this focus on creating the most cutting-edge and eco-friendly water heating products, KD Navien has since become the world standard in efficiency, energy-saving, and CO2 reducing tankless condensing water heaters. Apart from their tankless water heating products, Navien is also well-known for its boiler and combi-boiler water heating solutions. This proprietary condensing tech is one of the defining features of Navien’s water heating products and one of the key differentiators between them and other manufacturers. Condensing tankless water heaters – how do they work? Condensing technology is an increasingly-prevalent feature in modern water heaters, both tank-based and tankless. Navien is the global standard in ultra-efficient water heating because of their focus on condensing heating – let’s learn a little more about how it works. A traditional tankless water heater operates by pulling cold water through the unit and past a heat exchanger, becoming superheated and then blended with cold water for the correct temperature at the point-of-demand. Traditionally, only one heat exchanger is in the unit and exhaust gasses from the water vapor (and byproducts of the gas burners) are vented outside. These exhaust gasses are highly-acidic from the minerals in the water and can corrode ventilation components if they’re not the right metals. Installation for tankless gas-fueled water heaters can thus be expensive from the get-go as specialized materials are needed to create an efficient and safe ventilation system. Condensing tankless water heaters are a bit different: for one, the condensing part of the name is in reference to the way it uses byproducts of the heating process to make water heating more efficient. Water vapor will be trapped within the unit (not vented) and used to maintain a baseline temperature in the water heater so that the heat exchanger doesn’t have to work as hard (or as sporadically). The second main feature of condensing technology with Navien is their addition of a secondary heat exchanger. Two heat exchangers allow the water to be heated in steps: the workload is divided and the heat exchangers don’t have to reach extremely high temperatures to bring the water up to your desired temperature. By transferring heat to the water in steps, the exhaust vapors are significantly cooler than they would be in non-condensing models. This water vapor condenses inside the water heater, helping the flow rate increase and making the unit extremely efficient by keeping everything warm. The water vapor eventually condensates on the surfaces of the unit and drips into the water heater’s condensate drain, a specially-built draining system that can handle the acidic aqueous byproducts of superheating hard water. Because the gasses are cooler, they are not as corrosive as those from non-condensing models. This has significant benefits in terms of cost savings: materials like PVC and polypropylene can be used to build the venting system and offer homeowners more flexibility around budget and installation. The cost savings continue in terms of energy use: condensing units are the most efficient kind of water heater available on the market and they are drastically cheaper to operate than other tankless (non-condensing) units. Here are a few key differences between condensing and non-condensing tankless water heaters. Condensing Non-Condensing Initial Investment Higher Lower Operating Costs Lowest among all water heater styles Higher than condensing, lower than tank-based Venting PVC/Polypropylene (Cheaper options) Corrosion-resistant concentric metal Efficiency Ultra-high (EUF = .96) High (EUF > .80) Size Slightly larger than non-condensing tankless, 70-80% smaller than tank systems Smaller than condensing, 80% smaller than tank systems Maintenance Yearly maintenance Minimal maintenance Navien SPE-S2 Series Navien has two lines of tankless water heaters currently available, the first of which is the SPE-S2 series. It upholds the high standards of Navien’s condensing water heating tech, with higher outputs, greater efficiency, higher GPM, and cheaper installation costs than the next best non-condensing water heater from the leading competitor. Models like the NPE-180S2 are smaller, highly-efficient condensing tankless water heating units with max inputs of 150 000 BTU/h, able to be hung indoor or outdoor. At locations where the temperature rise is below 30°C, this smaller unit can easily provide flow rates of unlimited hot water up to 8.4 GPM. The SPE-S2 series has many options for customers hoping to go tankless and dip their toes in the field of condensing technology. This line of tankless water heaters is affordable, dependable, and extremely-high quality. Navien NPE-A2 Series The second series of condensing tankless water heaters offered by Navien is the brand-new NPE-A2 series. It is the current benchmark for condensing

In order to make sure your hot showers are hot and your clothes get washed, setting the right temperature for your hot water heater is key. Making sure the set temperature is correct will save you money on your utilities bill as readily as it will protect your family’s health. Also, be sure to check out our hot water heater replacement service. Why is the right hot water heater temperature important? Having the right water temperature for your hot water heater is key. Not only does it ensure that you have a comfortable shower, it equally mitigates potential health risks that can occur if temperature is improperly set. At the bare minimum, set your water heater temperature to the safe range of 125-140 degrees F (up to 60 degrees C). If your water heater’s tank temperature falls below the 120 degree F range, your tank is at risk of fostering the growth of bacteria. Because the water is stagnant and warm, it provides the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive: if the water isn’t hot enough to kill any organism that might grow inside, you risk putting yourself and your family in harm’s way with your bathing and drinking water. One of the main risks with a water temperature that is too low is the chance of Legionella developing in your water heater tank. Legionella is a bacteria that loves warm water and when it is ingested by people (usually by being breathed in) it can cause Legionnaire’s Disease, leading to cough, fever, diarrhea, and worse – pneumonia. This disease can be found in portable water tanks, heaters, hot tubs, water fountains, and more where the temperature will consistently remain between 68 and 122 degrees F. With serious consequences, making sure your water heater is not set too low will allow you to mitigate the risk of Legionella and other bacteria forming in your water heating unit. It is important to note that there is a misconception about how a water heater reads its temperature setting: the temperature set and read within the unit is not the output temperature at your point-of-use (a faucet, for instance) but instead the temperature of the water in the tank where the thermostat is located. The thermostat is usually located near the bottom of the tank close to the heating elements, meaning it is being exposed to a higher general water temperature and thus skews the reading of outgoing water. This is important to note as your unit does not register the outgoing water and can potentially cause scalding risks at the point-of-use. In order to find the healthy balance between avoiding bacteria and avoiding scalding your family, it has become more common for water heater manufacturers to add thermostatic mixing valves to their water heating units. This allows for the water to become superheated in the tank and then mixed with cold water to achieve a safe temperature before it is shipped off to the shower head or faucet. Factors in choosing your water heater temperature There are a few factors to consider when setting your new water heater’s temperature. Working with your water heater technician and consulting the manufacturer’s notes of your new unit will allow you to precisely set an outgoing temperature that is comfortable, efficient, and safe. Money-saving Groundwater Temperature Members of your household Relative hot water temperatures

Tankless water heaters (check out our tankless water heater installation service) are pretty quiet machines, all things considered. Where with tank-based units you might hear such noises like pressurized sediment buildup banging around the tank, the on-demand heating of a tankless water heater eliminates a lot of places where noise can emerge. Despite having a design that minimizes noise, tankless water heaters are still subject to occasionally getting chatty. Most of the noises are normal and to be expected, but some abnormal noises can point to malfunctions in the unit’s operation that are worth inspecting. It is important to remember that servicing your tankless water heater without a certification can void the manufacturer’s warranty of your unit. Furthermore, to mitigate any risks that are present when dealing with high-power heating, pressure, and water systems, calling your trusted water heater technician is strongly recommended. At HiTech Services we offer comprehensive warranty and servicing plans when you install a new water heater with us: rest easy knowing your home’s water heating system is being taken care of by our highly-specialized and Navien-certified technicians. Common tankless water heater noises Vibrating and rattling from ventilation system Screeching or ‘kettle’ noises Vibration noises Popping, sizzling, or crackling noises

Does your tank-based gas hot water heater need electricity to operate? In the general sense, no, not really – the heating elements are fuelled by a non-electrical source. That being said, depending on the type of ignition system your water heater uses, you may be in trouble if a power outage were to affect your household. Your gas water heater uses natural gas to fuel its heat exchanger, lighting a burner and heating a conductive element that transfers heat to the tank and the water. As long as the flame is active and fuel is going to the unit, no electricity is needed. This is an especially attractive feature of traditional tank-based models as in the case of a power outage, you will still have access to hot water and can even heat more when needed. With tankless water heaters, a lack of electricity causes your water heating to turn off completely: even gas-fueled tankless models have countless interrelated electrical components like flow sensors, control panels, temperature gauges, pressure valves, and more. When one of those goes, the water heater usually cannot operate and you cannot heat water. This being said, many gas water heaters still technically need electricity to fulfill one of their critical functions: lighting the burners that heat your water tank. An electric pilot light is one of the only necessary electrical components in a traditional tank-based gas water heater. A small spark from an electrical connection is what lights the gas entering the heat exchanger. Once the burners are on, the pilot light is no longer needed but without the pilot light, those burners stay off and gas floods the ignition chamber, causing a safety risk. Thus, the main differentiator as to whether your tank-based water heater needs electricity or not is in the fuel ignition system your model uses. There are two: standing pilot-controlled water heaters and electrical ignition water heaters. Let’s learn a little about each. 1. Standing pilot water heaters do not need electrical power If you have a gas hot water heater that uses a non-electrical pilot light, you’re in luck in the event of a power outage. These units have a constantly-running flame (a pilot light) that is used to instantly ignite the burner when needed. The pilot light is not meant to go out but it occasionally can if cut off from fuel. This is no issue in a power outage however. This small pilot flame is lit through piezoelectric components: this is a type of electrical charge that forms in solid materials like crystals and ceramics. By applying force to a piezoelectric material (like banging it into another piezoelectric thing), a small spark is created without the addition of extra electricity. The application of force usually comes from a button located in the body of the heater: much like many barbeques, pushing the button causes the piezoelectric crystals to smack into each other (causing that tick-tick-tick noise we know so well) until they create a spark and ignite the gas in the chamber. Just like that and without an electrical plug-in, you have live flame! Standing pilot-controlled water heaters were more common with older models – many manufacturers are switching to electrical ignition for its dependence and energy efficiency (no constantly-running light). The main way to tell if your water heating unit is a standing pilot light is by inspecting the base of the unit. If you see a small burner, a temperature regulator, and a piezoelectric button, you very likely have a standing pilot model. The good news is that if your power or the pilot light goes out, you can still manually (and carefully) turn on your water heater as long as it is connected to a gas line with fuel. Even if the piezoelectric button is malfunctioning you can manually light it with a match or a lighter. If the pilot light does not turn on after a few tries however, disconnect the unit from the gas and contact a specialist to avoid causing any gas buildup and fire risks. 2. Electrical ignition water heaters need electrical power While the standing pilot light models do not require any electrical charge to ignite the gas burners of your water heater, electric-controlled ignition is a different story. These types of water heating units need a small amount of electricity to ignite their burners and without access to power, you will be unable to heat water. These ignition systems were designed to be more energy-efficient given that they do not need to be on all the time like a standing pilot light. There are two: intermittent pilot ignition and hot surface ignition (HSI). Intermittent pilot ignition is exactly what it sounds like: a small pilot light is lit every time the burners are activated and then turns off until it is needed again. Because it is inefficient to manually create a piezoelectric spark every time your unit’s heat exchanger turns on (you’d have to be going to your water heater all the time to push the button), this type of ignition depends on an electrical charge that creates sparks at the burners to light them. Hot surface ignition works differently in the sense that it does not use a pilot light. Instead, electricity is pumped into a few resistance elements made of thermally-conductive materials like silicon nitride or silicon carbide. These materials will rapidly absorb heat and become glowing-hot in no time, igniting the burners on demand. If your household is subject to frequent power outages, it is important to mention this to your trusted water heater technician when beginning the process of replacing your water heater. With that, you’ll be able to choose the best water heater for your home and its fuel availability. At HiTech Services we work with our clients at every step of the process to ensure your new water heater is catered uniquely to your home and your lifestyle.

Picking the right tank size for your hot water is critical to ensuring you get efficient and accessible water heating for the lifetime of your new unit. The capacity needed for your new water heater is relative to each household: the number of people in your home, your lifestyle, your habits, the location of your home, and more have to be considered when making a sizing choice. The easiest way to start, however, is to ask yourself if your current tank adequately meets the current demand of your household. If it does, then you can likely get the same size water heater and notice no difference. For cases where the tank does not meet demand, then sizing up will be the option. Going too big isn’t preferable either; the size can make installation and servicing cumbersome, energy losses build if the water is unused, and they require a higher initial investment. Estimating delivery capacity The main way to determine what size is right is by taking note of your household’s hot water use. By noting what appliances and faucets are in use at the time of the day when your hot water demand is at its highest, you’ll have a good benchmark for what your water heater needs to accommodate. Below are a few general estimates for the hot water demand of various household appliances and activities. ACTION HOT WATER DEMAND (gallons) Dishwasher 7-10 Laundry Machine 25-35 Shower 3/min (shampooing = 5) Shaving 2 Cooking Prep 4-5 Bath 10-25 Dishwashing by hand 3 Hand washing 2 In a moment where your hot water use is at its peak, add the general demand for these activities together: maybe someone is showering while the dishwasher and laundry machine are running? Assuming this person takes an 8-minute shower and someone washes their hands at one point during the hour, our estimated peak demand is 58 gallons for a busy hour, keeping in mind the laundry machine doesn’t run every night. If the use of these appliances is better spread out during the day, you can get the peak use down drastically. This peak use estimate you just calculated is measured directly against the tank’s first hour rating (FHR), a general measurement of how much hot water the tank can provide in a single hour from full. Using the FHR is a better way to choose your new water heater’s size instead of going by the tank capacity: it takes into account when the maximum amount of water is needed and matches it as opposed to constantly-heating an unnecessary amount for infrequent spikes in demand. It is not uncommon for smaller-sized tank units to have higher FHR ratings than larger tanks given how much quicker they can heat incoming water. By sizing according to FHR, over the unit’s lifespan you’ll end up saving money in energy costs and save space in your home. Additional factors in choosing size to consider Here at HiTech Services we work with our customers to determine the ideal hot water heater for your family and household. Feel free to call us to consult our technicians about the FHR of various models we offer, as well as the benefits of different sizes in regard to your needs.