Installation
The regular way to install a water heater.
The choice for this parameter depends primarily on how much free space is available for installing the device and what shape this space has. Therefore, when there is a lot of space (for example, the user has an entire wall in the boiler room of a private house at his disposal), this parameter can be ignored. But in cramped conditions, each installation method will have its nuances.
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Vertical. Vertical arrangement devices, elongated in height. This option is well suited for narrow cramped spaces — for example, a bathroom in a small city apartment.
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Horizontal. The horizontal layout is less suitable for tight spaces than the vertical one but in some conditions, it may be optimal — for example, if the place under the device looks like a low horizontal niche. Also, note that many instant water heaters are produced in this design (see "Type") — they do not take up much space, and horizontal orientation is considered optimal for such devices for several reasons.
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Floor. Floorstanding models (as opposed to all of the wall mount options described above). The main advantage of such an installation is simplicity: there is no need to drill walls and prepare other special fasteners; it is enough to have free space on the floor. In addition, weight restrictions are not so critical for floor water h
...eaters, and this method can be used even for the most powerful, capacious and, accordingly, large models. On the other hand, free space on the floor is not always available, and this installation method is not suitable for cramped conditions.
— Universal (wall mounted). Devices that can be placed in any position — both horizontal and vertical (see above for details). The advantage of this option is obvious: the user can choose the installation method of his choice, depending on the situation.Heat loss
Heat losses arising in the storage water heater due to imperfect thermal insulation of the tank.
No insulating material, even the highest quality, can completely prevent heat from escaping to the outside. This paragraph just indicates the amount of heat that “leaks” through the thermal insulation of the boiler per day; to maintain the temperature, this leakage must be compensated by additional heating, even if no water is consumed. So from a practical point of view, heat loss is the amount of energy that the heater spends solely on maintaining the temperature of the water inside. Accordingly, the lower this indicator, the more effective the thermal insulation and the more economical the device is in terms of energy consumption. On the other hand, a decrease in heat loss inevitably affects at least the cost, and often also the size and weight of the heater.
Note that this parameter is indicated for standard conditions: a filled tank, heated to operating temperature, zero water flow and a certain outdoor temperature (usually about 20 °C). Under other conditions, the actual level of heat loss may differ from the claimed one in one direction or another. Nevertheless, according to this characteristic, it is quite possible to compare different models directly: lower heat losses claimed by the manufacturer will mean more economical energy consumption.
Heating time
Time to heat the storage tank (see "Type"), filled with cold water, to operating temperature.
It is worth remembering that this characteristic is not 100% accurate. Manufacturers usually indicate the heating time for certain conditions: a filled tank, maximum heating intensity, and temperature rise (∆T) by a certain number of degrees. In practice, the heating time may differ, both one way and the other. For example, if the heating time for the device is 20 minutes at ∆T = 50 °C, then when the water is heated from 15 °C to 60 °C, the time will be shorter (∆T = 45 °C). Nevertheless, this indicator allows us to evaluate the overall flow rate of the boiler, and with equal ∆T and volumes, different models can be compared in terms of heating time.
Pipe connection
The direction from which pipes are connected to the heater. The choice for this parameter depends primarily on the characteristics of the place where the device is planned to be placed. Note that in universal models (see "Installation"), the place of connection of pipes depends on the method of installation, while specific options in different models may be different, this should be specified separately.
Tank manufacturer's warranty
The warranty period declared by the manufacturer for the storage water heater tank (see “Type”).
This parameter is important for the reasons of maintenance terms. The tank is the most complex element: other parts of the water heater are relatively easy to repair and change, and if there is a problem with the tank, it is often easier to replace the entire boiler. In the most advanced models, the warranty on the tank can be 10 years or more.
Weight
The weight of the device, excluding the water collected (passing) into it.
