Water Heaters for Space Heating

The Costs & Benefits of Space Heating for Consumers

A space heating water heater can heat your house and provide domestic coil hot water at the same time:

Benefits and Costs

An electric water heater that heats both space and water has a higher cost than an electric heater and furnace separately. Due to the lack of a furnace, installation costs are lower. In certain states and local jurisdictions, rebates and tax credits may be available to offset the higher initial cost. Water heaters designed for space heating have fewer moving parts, which means they are easier to maintain and require fewer repairs.

With tankless space heating, you can save a lot of space since it only takes up a small area near the sink. The efficiency of some systems will reduce utility costs compared to traditional heaters. As a space heating water heater, tankless gas water heaters can provide 125 gallons of hot water per hour, so they function like instant water heaters. Boilers and hot water tanks have energy efficiency advantages due to dual uses, which reduce standing water heat loss and offset electricity use. There is a 27% reduction in domestic energy use when methods employ one source of heat for both water and air.

Workings of the System

Space heating and hot water are both provided by a number of commercially available products. As part of the space heating water heater system, two pieces of equipment share one principle heat source, a tank water heater, and an air handler.

A coiled pipe loop is used to connect a high-output heater to an air handler. Heat exchangers in heat pump systems provide auxiliary heat for the air handler through the pipe coil. While the hot water is ready in the tank, the blower circulates the heated air throughout the house in the heating ducts.

In the second type of space heating, hot water is provided by a boiler to the radiation loops, and heated water is stored in a tank. An instantaneous gas water heater can provide heat for a hydronic heat loop and provide hot water for domestic use in lieu of a boiler. They provide localized space heating and instant heated water in one outlet and are usually located fairly close to the point of use, which is generally the bathroom or kitchen. A boiler, on the other hand, can supply a whole house with heat.