How does indirect fired water heater work?

An indirect water heater uses the main furnace or boiler to heat a fluid that’s circulated through a heat exchanger in the storage tank. The energy stored by the water tank allows the furnace to turn off and on less often, which saves energy.

Are indirect water heaters worth it?





Indirect water heaters typically have a faster recovery time (the time it takes to re-heat a tank of water) than a conventional storage water heater. That means there’s less time you and your family have to wait between showers in the morning, running multiple loads of laundry, or similar.

What is the difference between a direct and indirect water heater?

Direct fired water heaters are solely dedicated to the job of hot water generation, providing a faster heat up and response time compared with an indirect system which is in fact ‘heating water to heat water’.

What are the advantages of indirect hot water system?

The greatest advantages of the indirect water heaters are the significant reduction of flue losses. Less maintenance – no additional burners to maintain. Less cost – no additional venting required or fuel lines to run. Better performance – more available hot water with quicker recoveries.

Are furnace and water heater connected?

Your furnace or boiler will have a pipe attached to the water heater. This pipe circulates hot water from your boiler to a heat exchanger within the water heater. This exchanger then heats the water in the tank and gives you anywhere from 30-100 gallons of water to use when you need it.

How long does it take for an indirect water heater to heat up?





While there are lots of elements which can impact the time, the chart below shows how long each type of hot water heater takes to heat up usually. Your average gas tank water heater takes about 30 to 40 minutes to heat water once it gets in the tank.

Should hot water heater be turned off when on vacation?

Any time you go on vacation, it’s best to also turn off your water heater as well. Turning off the source of the heat (gas, electric) while you’re away will not damage your water heater. This will save you in power (gas) and potential damage if it leaks too.

How does an indirect water heater work in the summer?

In an indirect system, water is heated up by your main boiler or furnace through a heat exchanger attached to the space heating unit. That water is then moved by the water heater into a storage tank, much like a traditional water heater, where the hot water is kept until it’s needed.

What brand of water heater is the most reliable?

Best & Most Reliable Water Heater Brands in the World

  1. A.O. Smith. …
  2. Rheem. Rheem was founded in 1925 by two brothers, Donald and Richard Rheem – and with financial backing from a third brother, William. …
  3. Kenmore. …
  4. Bradford White. …
  5. American Standard. …
  6. American Water Heaters. …
  7. Bosch. …
  8. EcoSmart.

How do you flush a indirect water heater?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Is you know below the tank. Level. Well then when I open this valve. Here it actually starts to siphon out. So you do get a siphoning.

How do I know if I have an indirect water heater?

The first thing to know is that an indirect water heater is, in essence, little more than a well-insulated storage tank that holds a coiled heat exchanger, though a less common version relies on a tank-in-tank design.

Are indirect water heaters gas or electric?

During the winter, both the boiler and water heater operate using two separate gas lines in a conventional water heater. Since an indirect hot water tank uses its connected boiler’s energy, it does not require its own gas line.

Can you vent a furnace and hot water heater together?



Vent connectors serving equipment vented by Natural draft (typical water heater) Shall Not Be Connected Into Any Portion of Mechanical-draft systems (80% and higher efficiency gas furnaces). This Means: With Any New Furnace Installation — A Gas Water Heater Must Then Be Separately Vented.

Can furnace and water heater share exhaust vent?

Many homes are built with the water heater and furnace sharing the same exhaust vent. This practice is common with standard efficiency (80%) furnaces. When installed correctly, this venting arrangement works with an 80% gas furnace (or less than 80%) + gas water heater.

Can furnace and water heater share intake vent?

Can A Furnace And Hot Water Heater Really Share A Vent? In short, yes. However, there are certain factors that allow a furnace and hot water heater to share a vent – this is very important to know. Firstly, the type of furnace and hot water heater play a big role in whether these two systems can share a vent.

Can you put a power vent on a water heater?

Power vents simplify a gas hot water heater installation



Reduce high electric bills by replacing an electric water heater with a natural gas or propane heater, then reduce installation costs by installing a power-vented model that can be easily vented out a sidewall.

Can high-efficiency furnaces be vented together?



It’s perfectly acceptable to have a high-efficiency furnace installed with one pipe. Just flip through the pages of any high-efficiency furnace installation manual and you’ll find the answer.

What is direct vent water heater?

A direct vent water heater uses special coaxial venting that has separate chambers for intake air and exhaust in a single assembled vent piece. The venting runs from the water heater through the side of your home. They pull and push air from outside to negate any backdrafting within your home.

How do I know if my water heater is venting?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Into the vent and out the chimney. That's good that means we're venting if for any reason. You feel any warm or moist air or coming back at you that means this vent is not venting properly.

What is the difference between direct vent and non direct vent?

Instead, these furnaces are vented in one of two ways: Direct vent (two-pipe) vent system – This system uses one pipe to bring in outside air for combustion and another to remove exhaust gases. Non-direct (single-pipe) vent system – This system uses only one pipe to remove exhaust gases.