Which water heater to choose for a summer residence

Hot water for most people has become an indispensable part of the comfort and coziness in the house. When leaving the country in the summer, it does not matter for temporary residence or for a day or two, I want to use this good of civilization. Therefore, many people wonder what kind of water heater to choose for a summer residence. The answer is not as clear as it may seem. The choice of a specific type and model depends on the conditions of suburban housing and the number of people who need hot water.

Types of Water Heaters

The first thing that will contain the answer “how to choose a heater for a summer residence” is the design class. It could be:

• open circuit with gravitational fluid supply to the consumer, the so-called bulk heaters;
• sealed tank systems that require a certain inlet water pressure to operate.

It does not matter if the electric or any other type of device is considered according to the nature of the heater. For example, a heat source may be:

• electricity, heating elements of different classes;
• liquid and solid fuels, diesel, firewood or pellets;
• gas both supplied via highways and liquefied in cylinders.

Depending on the specific conditions that exist in the country, you can decide which heater is best to buy, which is best suited for solving the problem and at the same time does not require additional financial expenses.

What may be required to install a heater

If the house has electricity in the country, most of the problems immediately recede into the background and become not vital. A modern good water heater operates in a wide voltage range and practically does not require equipment with additional systems for ensuring food quality. Things are more complicated if the operation of a boiler on gaseous, liquid or solid fuel is required. Would need:

• order the design of the connection system;
• to build a chimney, to ensure safe operation;
• Allocate a separate room for equipment if liquid or solid fuels are used.

Spending can be quite significant if before that the summer house was not prepared for the use of heating equipment. It is much easier to connect a water heater that runs on 220V, flow or storage.

Floor and wall water heaters

The water heater can be floor or wall execution. This factor is not important if the cottage is a capital building with strong walls. But if we are talking about a small house, it should be borne in mind that:

• floor heater is easier to place. But you need to carefully consider the issue of floor strength. Depending on the needs for hot water, the weight of the installation can be extremely significant. If the water heater is installed on the ground floor, they often make their own base for it. To do this, cast a concrete pillow from the ground to the installation level;
• wall mounted water heaters require a solid base for their installation. If we are talking about a small device for 10-20 liters, you can install on a wooden wall. But the average boiler for 100-200 liters will necessarily require a solid foundation. Desirable - a wall of concrete or brick.

Choosing a model of a water heater will also have to be based on the available free space, water supply, electricity.

Heating technology

All water heaters are selected according to the principle of heating water. It could be:

• a system that heats water constantly, while it can be taken from the working volume. These are storage systems, bulk or closed type;
• instantaneous water heaters that raise the temperature of the liquid during its passage through the tubes of the heat exchanger;
• secondary heating systems operating with a limited volume of water, which, in turn, transfers heat to the liquid in the tank used for domestic purposes.

Each heater has its own advantages and disadvantages. Most often they ask the question: what is the best water heater for a summer residence - storage or flow. Everyone makes a choice on their own.

1. Flow type heater. The main thing that requires this class of water heaters is a large power source. To prepare an intensive flow, it really needs a lot. For example, models that are able to provide a hot shower with a pressure that is familiar to an apartment will require 7-10 kW. In practice, two-stage heaters are installed - with heating by heating elements up to 3 kW and full up to 7 kW, these are the most popular products.
2. Cumulative heater. There is no strict requirement for power grid. Only how long the tank heats up to the set temperature depends on how much the voltage changes over time. At the same time, an open, filling system does not even require a centralized water supply.

The exact answer, which is better, does not exist. You can choose a flow heater, which will fit the parameters of the mains and will be acceptable to the inhabitants of the country. A similar situation is with storage systems, which include indirect heating water heaters.

Let's move on to the specifics

It can be seen from the foregoing that it is quite difficult to make a decision, tied to specific models and the conditions for their functioning. It is easier to provide the equipment with the required operating parameters. And then the flow heater will confidently work in the country, show itself cumulatively, and if possible by spending some time planning and implementing the project, you can get excellent results in any country. Consider options for a place where one of the conditions is missing: electricity or a constant supply of water.

1. Providing uninterrupted water supply. The flow-through and storage heater of the closed type have a common requirement - the presence of a water supply under constant pressure. Implementing this is quite simple. There are many small solutions on sale that supply fluid and control pressure. The easiest way to buy an electric pump. It can work from 220 V or from the generator when you need to swim or use hot water for other purposes. After that, a simple scheme is implemented. At the inlet of the water heater, liquid is supplied from the expansion tank by the pump under the desired pressure. As a drive, a large barrel can be used. It is easy to install a tank painted black on the street; it will pre-heat water from the sun, reducing energy costs. You can add liquid to the tank at times when water is supplied or simply topped up with buckets.
2. Providing uninterrupted power supply. The most unpleasant thing for a instantaneous water heater is a change in the supply voltage. More precisely, the device doesn’t care, but the person in the shower or the bathroom doesn’t even have one. Therefore, a power stabilization solution is a must. If surges are observed in the country, you can do with a thyristor or relay stabilizer. If the electricity is not constant, good results are shown by the battery from the batteries and the inverter to obtain 220 V. If there is no power supply at all, you can equip the cottage with solar panels or a wind generator. By the way, the last two options are best used with a storage water heater - the instantaneous heater will deplete the batteries extremely quickly.
3. Self-sufficient projects. In cases where there is no electricity, gas in the country and at the same time there are not enough funds to buy and operate liquid or solid fuel heaters, solar collectors become the leader of choice.The system can become fully autonomous. Each collector contains a small solar panel, the electricity from which feeds the circulation pump. Heated water from the sun can enter the expansion tank and be used for its intended purpose. But you can make a more detailed system. A small expansion tank and a solar collector will be a good source of heat for an indirect heating water heater. In this case, the system will work efficiently, and overheating of the liquid in the collector can be easily compensated by water from the working volume. In conjunction with the solar collector, the water heater can be of any type - bulk or closed.

As you can see, nothing is impossible for a careful owner. Having organized the relevant parameters of the power supply and water pressure, you can use any class of water heater in the country.

Specific brands and their merits

A summer residence is a territory, so to speak, with special operating conditions. Here, the temperature often drops at night in houses without heating. Recommended humidity parameters are not always observed. Water does not match the quality that manufacturers of heating equipment take as a standard. And the fact that the cleaning of the heating elements of the boiler is extremely rare or not done at all is not worth talking about. Therefore, for a country house, it is worth purchasing equipment with proven reliability.

1. Electrolux (Electrolux). It is famous for its storage water heaters with a closed tank. Here the most useful innovations in the country are applied. Firstly, the variation in operating voltage is almost a record in comparison with competitors. Secondly, the heating elements are protected by glass. As pollution increases, only the time for heating the water to the set temperature increases, and not the danger of failure. Thirdly, the heater tank is coated with an anti-corrosion layer and has a solid guarantee. Electrolux water heaters are expensive, but extremely reliable, durable and unpretentious products.
2. Ariston The leader among flowing heaters. The advantages of this brand equipment include the use of high strength copper and anodized aluminum in the design of heat exchangers. This guarantees not only reliability, but also increased heat transfer, which with the same heater power allows you to quickly raise the temperature of the water flow. In addition, the brand offers many models with switching the number of stages, for example, 3, 4, 7 kW (two-stage heater).
3. Termex (Thermex). Termex equipment is the best choice for compact installation. In the line of models there are enough options for a capacious and at the same time small heater. A key attractive feature is a rectangular, flat shape, which makes it very convenient for wall mounting. With equal weight, the device will require lower base strength, in comparison with round-shaped boilers. In addition, Termex products show an excellent combination of price, quality and durability. The Termex brand also owns a round model recognized as the leader in the rate of heating water.

If the equipment of these brands does not fit and you are still interested in the answer to the question, which storage water heater is better for a summer residence, you can give some general tips:

• Firstly, do not focus on fast heating. A less productive device is often better, since it does not require the impossible from the suburban network;
• secondly, the form and execution (floor or wall) should be chosen based on the installation location;
• thirdly, the volume depends on the needs of the inhabitants of the country, but it is worth facilitating the task of equipment. If for an apartment of 100 liters a heater is chosen for a family of two people, in the country, subject to a shower, it will be enough for a larger number of consumers.

To guarantee the device a long work, it is necessary to ensure the quality of water. Filters installed at the entrance will allow you to use even an expensive and moody model in the country.

Conclusion

The heater in the country - simple and affordable. According to statistics, most often closed storage systems of different classes are used. But, as mentioned above, no one bothers to ensure comfortable operation of any type of device. It all depends on the specific conditions in the country house and the financial, time resources available for spending.