Gas Water Heater

[Rm2s]

Anyone here using piped in gas water heater at home?

 

I am looking for feedback in the area of

 

1. How instant is the heating?

2. Would it reduce water pressure?

 

I am currently using electric water heater with storage tank, would like to switch to gas heater to save on electricity.

 

Any comment welcome.

[Car_driver]

I have been using piped in gas water heater since 4 years ago.

 

From cold (i.e. all normal temp water within pipe from the heater to the shower head or tap), the water may take a few minutes to heat up. The exact timing depends on the heating capacity of the heater, length of pipe from heater to shower head or tap and the number of branch-out you have (since 1 house normally has 1 gas water heater due to the hassle & 'danger' of running gas pipes all over the house).

 

In addition, gas water heater must be installed at well ventilated area, just like the gas cooker, for safety reasons.

 

I do not know if there is any gas water heater with storage tank available in the market. If there is, it'll definitely speed up the heating process.

 

As for the water pressure, I do not see any reduction.

 

Hope my reply is useful for you.

 

[Yoongf]

I have been using piped in gas water heater since 4 years ago.

 

From cold (i.e. all normal temp water within pipe from the heater to the shower head or tap), the water may take a few minutes to heat up. The exact timing depends on the heating capacity of the heater, length of pipe from heater to shower head or tap and the number of branch-out you have (since 1 house normally has 1 gas water heater due to the hassle & 'danger' of running gas pipes all over the house).

 

In addition, gas water heater must be installed at well ventilated area, just like the gas cooker, for safety reasons.

 

I do not know if there is any gas water heater with storage tank available in the market. If there is, it'll definitely speed up the heating process.

 

As for the water pressure, I do not see any reduction.

 

Hope my reply is useful for you.

 

Hi..

Just curious.. I heard that gas heater may have this problem that if not enough hot water.. then the gas heater will restart and it takes time to get the water hot again, ie.. bathe midway.. hot become cold.. then after a while hot again? Does it happen?

 

 

[Rm2s]

Thanks. I am surprised that the water takes a few mins to heat up.

 

Currently for my storage tank electric heater, it will take about 30 seconds or so to get the desired temperature coming out of the mixer. My understanding is that gas heater works the same way as those instantaneous electric heater, where the water pass through the pipe while it is being heated and instant water heater works very fast and efficient.

 

Based on your experience, it seems like not very advisable to switch to gas heater.

[Mustank]

http://www.citygas.com.sg/index.php?option...2&Itemid=60

 

http://www.citygas.com.sg/waterheater/index.htm

[Mustank]

my gas heater is the 5 litre free from pub about 8 years ago

 

uses d size battery as a starter

 

seldom need to change battery

 

but if your water pressure is already low, don use gas heater

 

the gas heater requires a certain amount of pressure to work efficiently

 

at first i got a lot of water pressure problem

 

but lately, after i changed the water tap from "one tap select temp" type to "two tap select temp" type, problem solved.

 

i think it is because the two tap system allow for more water flow

[Sabian]

I am using gas heater in my place and I will be using it in my next place if layout permits.

 

FYI, for gas heater or storage heater,

the water remaining in portion of the pipe from the heater to your shower will be cool. So you have to wait for this section of water to be drained before the heated water reaches you.

 

As mentioned in the post above, how long depends on the length of the pipe from heater to your shower. It does not matter on the type of heater. For storage heater, depending on the capacity, it will take up more space than your instant electric or gas heater.

 

As for the start/ stop problem, I have not encountered it. Been using it the gas heater for 5 yr, my MIL has been using the same one for almost 20 yrs. My granny's place was using it for 25 yrs until she moved out of her flat.

 

Hope this helps.

[Scenic98]

quite some newer condos are already using gas heaters. these days, the modern ones, e.g. by Rinai are quite efficient and compact in size. There's also a control panel where u can set the temperature. I've mine set to 37deg, so that i can leave the mixer on at maximum hotness and not worry about my daughter getting scalded. Small downside is, as already highlighted, is the short time it takes the water to heat up and u need citygas at home. So landed houses without citygas is out (correct?) .

but compared to those electric tank ones, i think the operating cost of gas heaters is lower. also, for electric tank heaters, i think a lot of energy is used to heat up the entire tank of water which u may not need. Can anyone verify this?

 

i would love to use gas heaters again in my new home, but there's no citygas there.

[Boyboy]

Anyone here using piped in gas water heater at home?

 

I am looking for feedback in the area of

 

1. How instant is the heating?

2. Would it reduce water pressure?

 

I am currently using electric water heater with storage tank, would like to switch to gas heater to save on electricity.

 

Any comment welcome.

 

not as instant as instant electric heater. cos u normally install the heater some distance away from the shower, but much better than storage heater. i usually keep the storage heater 'charged' cos i want 'instant' hot water. but the hot water takes 9 seconds to reach the shower even then. doing it like this, my storage heater is abt as 'instant' as the gas heater i tried. but of course, gas heater will save quite a lot on the bills

 

it will NOT reduce the pressure. at least the one in use at my in-laws. basically, it's just a box enclosing a burner around the metal pipe with some controls on it.

 

the main thing, the suckiest thing (for the one i tried), is that the temperature is IMPOSSIBLE to be controlled. at the temperature i like (moderately warm, subjective), it's either way too hot or the heater will cut out. sometimes, i will start to freeze, then slowly adjust for hotter water, then gg abt 20 seconds after i hear the gas firing up. kena scald.

 

my in-laws probably manage cos they dun use shower. they use basin and scoop

 

but i reckon one workaround is to use individual taps for hot and cold. not the combined mixer tap. that will make it much easier to finetune the water pressure.

 

also, maybe cos they are on high floor, got water pressure fluctuations which affect the heater operation.

 

one thing to note. ur paint above the heater will usually start peeling after some months or yrs. cos the heater will have to be installed quite close to the ceiling. i believe u can't install it too low otherwise it will be dangerous.

[Boyboy]

but lately, after i changed the water tap from "one tap select temp" type to "two tap select temp" type, problem solved.

 

i think it is because the two tap system allow for more water flow

 

ya i think this is part of the problem. more like an accurate adjustment of hot water flow i think..

 

gas storage heater? now that will be perfect for me. but i dun have pipe gas [bigcry]

[Rm2s]

the main thing, the suckiest thing (for the one i tried), is that the temperature is IMPOSSIBLE to be controlled. at the temperature i like (moderately warm, subjective), it's either way too hot or the heater will cut out. sometimes, i will start to freeze, then slowly adjust for hotter water, then gg abt 20 seconds after i hear the gas firing up. kena scald.

 

This is not good. I already have mixer in both my bathrooms and they are connected currently to the storage electric heater tank, the mixing is very consistent and I get good temperature control.

 

If water temperature can go up and down like you describe, obviously the design is not correct.

 

Do you think gas heater is more suitable for regular tap (not mixer where there are 2 pipes going in, one carry cold water and the other hot?)

 

[Sabian]

one thing to note. ur paint above the heater will usually start peeling after some months or yrs. cos the heater will have to be installed quite close to the ceiling. i believe u can't install it too low otherwise it will be dangerous.

 

Hi Boyboy

 

My heater has about 60-70cm clearance from the ceiling. So far (5 yrs), the paint work is ok.

We are talking about the same gas heater?

 

 

[Sabian]

This is not good. I already have mixer in both my bathrooms and they are connected currently to the storage electric heater tank, the mixing is very consistent and I get good temperature control.

 

If water temperature can go up and down like you describe, obviously the design is not correct.

 

Do you think gas heater is more suitable for regular tap (not mixer where there are 2 pipes going in, one carry cold water and the other hot?)

 

I have no issue with the temp control but I think dual taps would make fine tuning easier.

Both dials on my gas heater are set to low. One for temp, the other I can't remember.

 

But it is easier on the bills.

[Mustank]

if you only got one pipe running from the water heater to the tap and no cold water pipe supplying cold water to the tap, then gas heater is not for you

 

for gas heater to work, you must a hot water pipe from te gas heater and a cold water pipe connected to the tap

 

i think so far we all observe that dual tap system can fine tune the temp very well

 

the temp of hot water going to the tap is:

 

temp of water + temp gained from burning from gas - temp loss from piping

 

during hot days, i must push the heater dial to the lowest

 

during rainy days, i must push the heater dial higher

 

so there is a bit of guess work involved

 

as long as the temp of the hot water is slight higher than what you would like, then problem is solved. because the cold tap can do the mixing

 

use long enough and you will agar agar know one

 

the has hot water system is very much like hotel's system because they will blast the temp of the hot water

 

then the guest ownself regulate the temp using the cold tap

 

you can also blast the hot water temp but your bills are going to rocket

[Rm2s]

When you say dual taps, do you mean this

 

 

This is what I have in my bathrooms.

 

2 pipes to one faucet, 1 cold water and 1 hot water. To adjust the mix, just swing the lever.

 

If this is also good for gas heater, then I am more confident to switch.

 

 

[Mustank]

not this

 

the really 2 taps type like hotel one

[Rm2s]

http://www.citygas.com.sg/index.php?option...2&Itemid=60

 

http://www.citygas.com.sg/waterheater/index.htm

 

Thanks. I have read most of their information online. Nothing like real world user feedback. That's why I ask in this forum.

 

[Genie47]

OK I have one.

 

I was smarter.

 

DO NOT USE IT FOR THE SHOWER.

 

This on-demand gas powered water heater is used for every basin faucet which includes teh kitchen sink. Hot water is needed to wash dishes, wash face, shaving. You fill the basin with hot water. At least there is some control there.

 

Stick to on-demand electric heater shower heaters for the bathroom.

 

So there you go, hot water on demand w/o the exhorbitant use of of energy.