What is a “traditional” water heater?

Before we talk about what an indirect water heater is, let's talk about the one most people are familiar with. A "traditional" water heater is a piece of equipment usually located in your basement. It is powered by electricity, oil or gas. It runs independent of any other plumbing equipment in your home. It heats the water you need to run showers, the dishwasher, and laundry. A traditional water heater has a lifespan of about 10-15 years, depending on the quality of your water and how well it's been maintained. We recommend an inspection every 2-3 years. If you have poor water conditions, we recommend having it checked more frequently.

What is an “indirect” water heater?

Now, let's talk about "indirect" water heaters. An indirect water heater is NOT an independent piece of equipment. It works WITH your boiler to heat water. It is attached to your boiler, and cannot operate without it. Depending on the heating capacity (known as "BTU") of your boiler, you could get 180 gallons of hot water during one hour. The amount of hot water generated by an indirect water heater also depends on how efficient your boiler is. If you have it inspected and cleaned annually, chances are, an indirect could work for your hot water needs.

What to expect with an indirect water heater

If you've decided that an indirect water heater best suits the needs of your family, we recommend the ones manufactured by Crown Boiler. Here are the features you can expect on the Mega-Stor model:

• Removable inspection cap for easy access to the coil and tank. Plus, there's a drain at the bottom to flush out the tank if necessary.
• Highly responsive Honeywell adjustable aquastat so that the water can be adjusted for your desired temperature.
• A smooth surfaced stainless steel coil transfers heat throughout the tank. The recovery rate is up to three times more rapid than typical gas, electric or oil heaters.
• A two inch layer of polystyrene foam insulation keeps the water hot for hours during standby periods.
• A limited lifetime warranty. Crown Boiler Co. warrants the stainless steel tank and coil against leakage for as long as the original purchaser owns the home in which it is installed.

Rapid Service is located in Columbia CT. We offer plumbing, electrical and heating repairs and installations for Eastern CT homeowners. Some of the towns we service include: Columbia, Willimantic, Andover, Coventry, Bolton, Vernon, Ellington, Willington, Tolland, Mansfield, Willlimantic, Ashford, Chaplin, Windham, Lebanon, Colchester, Hebron, Marlborough, Glastonbury, Manchester, East Hampton, Bozrah, Scotland, and Canterbury.