To enjoy hot water all the time, at reasonable cost, is what one can expect from his water heater. Hot water is a critical element of your well-being and comfort. Nowadays, it is used without even thinking of it... However, it involves technology and requires energy for the hot water to reach your tap! In the following lines, the essential criteria are being reviewed to assist you in your choice:
Step 1: Assess your hot water needs
The quantity needed of DHW (Domestic Hot Water) depends basically on two factors:
• How many people live in your household?
• What are their DHW consumption habits?
By answering these two simple questions, you will be able to assess accurately your DHW needs.
It is important to do so in order to select the appropriate water heater. Roughly speaking, if your hot water consumption is reasonable, an average of 40 to 50 liters of DHW per day and per person is to be expected.
However, if your DHW needs are underestimated, you will end up with cold showers! At the contrary, if they are overestimated, your electricity bill will increase since too much hot water is produced for nothing.
Smartly, some of our water heaters memorize your daily consumptions and adjust hot water production depending on your actual needs. This smart feature is a great advantage!
Step 2: Determine your region's water quality
The water quality of the distribution system can directly affect the lifetime of your appliance:
a. There is no specific problem with balanced water.
b. If too hard, the water can cause scaling, in particular to the heating element.
c. If aggressive, it can induce a faster tank corrosion.
Rather, select a water heater fitted with Steatite heating element protected by an enamelled steel sleeve.
Beware of water softeners, incorrectly tuned, they produce a far too aggressive water, therefore, too corrosive.
For each type of water, we recommend an optimal choice of protection.
Step 3: Pick the right spot
You will need to pick the right spot for your water heater based on how much space is available and needed. Depending on our models, water tanks can be installed:
• In several manners: wall mounted horizontally or vertically and floor-standing.
• In many types of locations: bathrooms, toilets, kitchens, garages, utility rooms, etc.
• In different types of spaces: confined, adjusted or fitted and large.
Thermor has developed for you several ranges of space-saving water heaters. They allow the installation even in the most limited spaces. These models have a reduced tank diameter and are easy to install.
Ask yourself these useful questions:
1. What type of temperature control system do you need for your water heater?
Thermor offers two types of controls to set your water heater temperature:
• The mechanical thermostat, which is the traditional bulb thermostat, is associated with mechanical controls of the water heater. The knob can be frontal or at the bottom. It allows a manual temperature control. It can also be based on internal controls. In that case, the temperature cannot be controlled by users. The water is always heated at the temperature set by the manufacturer. This solution is reliable and often used on electric water heaters.
• The electronic thermostat is associated with digital control panel. It offers you a finest temperature control, safe operation and energy savings. This is the most accurate way to control temperature in a water heater. In addition, digital screens are much more modern and easy-to-use. Some digital displays have Shower-ready indicator or Boost function. They are even sometimes associated with Smart functions learning and adapting to the user’s habits!
2. Do you need low energy consuming water heater?
This aspect can be an important choice criterion for clients who care about how much energy their appliances consume. In order to help you select the right product, you can find the energy efficiency class of every Thermor water heater on dedicated product pages and technical sheets.
Here is a very good news for those interested in significant cost and energy savings: Thermor offers water heaters achieving energy savings up to 25%, thanks to their electronic thermostat and smart control functions!
3. Are you looking for easy maintenance?
When purchasing a water heater, you need to be aware of its maintenance frequency. It depends on two main factors:
• The water quality in your region. Balanced, aggressive or hard waters are the three types you will have to deal with.
• The type of heating element of your water heater. For instance, a Steatite dry heating element is very simple to maintain since there is no need to drain the tank while replacing it. In addition, you need to replace it less frequently than the classic copper heating element.
