There are several ways of heating the hot water for your home, from traditional means to more sustainable methods. Take a look at your options before making a decision.
Gas
For the majority of households in the UK, gas is the most convenient and economic way of producing domestic hot water. Most homes are connected to the national gas grid and the price of gas is much lower than electricity.
There are, of course, different systems which can provide hot water such as combination boilers, conventional boilers and system boilers. Each has its pros and cons but all provide your home with hot water by heating it via your boiler and sending it to your taps and shower.
- Combination boilers are the most compact and there is no need for a hot water cylinder so these are generally the most popular. However, they work best for smaller properties.
- Conventional boilers require a cold water tank in the loft and a hot water storage cylinder which can limit how much hot water you have. The whole system takes up a lot of space.
- System boilers also need a hot water storage tank but take cold water directly from the mains, meaning there’s no need for a cold water tank in the loft. These are best for larger homes with more than one bathroom.
Electric
There are numerous types of electric water heaters on the market. From immersion heaters to electric showers, the options are varied depending on your hot water needs and the size of your property.
However, electricity is expensive and electric hot water heating is the most costly of all options for providing domestic hot water. It works best as a back up in case your boiler breaks down or when used in conjunction with other systems such as solar power.
You can power your electric water heater from solar panels to help lower your energy bill and your carbon emissions.
Solar power
With many households looking for more sustainable ways of heating their homes and producing hot water, solar power is a great choice. The most common solar water heating system uses solar collectors with tubes which are filled with a mixture of water and glycol. This liquid is heated and passed through a circuit into a hot water cylinder heating the water inside.
In the summer, this type of system could potentially supply around 90% of a typical home’s hot water. In the winter, this would need to be augmented with a boiler or immersion heater as solar power will only provide about a quarter of your hot water needs. However, it does reduce your energy outlay as once the solar collector and system is installed, the sunlight is free of charge.
This is a renewable means of supplying your home’s hot water needs so you will also be reducing your carbon footprint. You will need space on the roof, preferably south facing or space on the ground to mount the solar collector.
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