Understanding How Your Hot Water System Works

How much do you really know about your home heating system? If you don’t know how it works, then hot water systems are complex machines that require maintenance and regular cleaning. If you don’t take care of them properly, they might break down or cause damage to your home.

A hot water tank is usually located outside your house, where it collects heat from the sun during the day. The heat is then transferred into your home through pipes. When the temperature inside your home drops below the desired level, the heating element turns on and heats the water stored in the tank.

What is a hot water system? how does it work?
Hot water is heated by an electric element, which is controlled by a thermostat. This thermostat is usually mounted on top of the tank. It has a small sensor that can detect when the water temperature inside your home reaches a certain point. Once this happens, the thermostat will automatically turn on the heating elements.

The heating elements are placed around the outer wall of the tank. They have two main purposes: to keep the temperature inside the tank constant and to ensure that the water doesn't freeze at night time.

How does a hot water system work?
If you want to understand how a type of hot water system works, here's what you need to know.

• The heating element

Most gas or electric hot water systems today use electricity as a source of energy. A heating element is placed near the bottom of the tank. As soon as the water starts boiling, the heating element turns off automatically. Then, when the water cools down again, the element turns on again to warm the stored water.

• The thermostat

This device controls everything related to the heating element. It detects whether there is enough room temperature inside the tank for the heating element to operate. If the water is too cold, the thermostat won't allow the heating element to turn on. If the water isn't too cold, however, the thermostat allows the heating element to start working.

• The pump

This machine transfers the heat exchange from the tank to the building. You'll find them all over your property, usually installed behind the kitchen sink. Some heat pumps for hot water are equipped with automatic shutoff valves that prevent the pipe from bursting due to excessive running cost pressure inside.

• Boiler

The boiler is another term for a hot water heater. If you want to learn more about boilers, you should read articles on how boilers work.

• The piping

Pipes carry different types of fluids throughout the house. The most commonly found ones include water, gas, and oil.

Piping comes in several sizes and materials. For example, copper pipes are often seen inside bathroom walls. While steel is mostly associated with water lines, it is also the common type to see plastic tubing in kitchens.

• The valves

These devices control the flow of fluid through your plumbing system. Valves come in many shapes and sizes. The most common one is the ball valve. When closed, it stops the continuous flow of hot water system liquid; but when opened, it lets the water pass.

Another type is the gate valve. It has a slit or hole through which the flow of liquid passes.

• The faucet

Faucets are designed to deliver hot or cold water based on the setting of the handle located on its base. You should get familiar with different faucet designs before buying and installing one. There are three main faucet styles: cartridge, spout, and mixer.

The cartridge faucet uses a removable cartridge that holds both the sprayer and the diverter assembly. With the spout style, the entire unit can be replaced in case of damage. Mixer faucets have two separate handles that control both the temperature and the volume of the delivered water stream.

• The drain line

Drains can become clogged easily. This causes a backup of water in the basement and other areas of your home. To fix this issue, install a trap at the end of the drain line where the water enters the sewer. Traps keep water flowing into the sewer until the blockage clears itself.

• Drain hose

The drain hose carries wastewater from various fixtures like sinks, toilets, tubs, etc. to the outside. Make sure that the drainage system is clear of debris or blockages so that water does not back up inside your walls.

• The vent stack

Vents are holes located at the top of the tank. They help release any harmful gases produced by the tank's heating elements.

• The overflow tube

An overflow tube is used to protect your tank from overheating. In case the water level rises above the maximum capacity of the tank, these tubes direct the extra water to an exterior leg. A lot of tanks use four or five legs to avoid flooding your floor.

• The tank

The tank stores hot water until needed. Storage tanks vary in size and shape. Small tanks hold less than 10 gallons while large tanks store around 100 gallons. Larger tanks require larger diameter hoses.

• The water heater element

Water heaters come in electric, gas, oil, coal-fired, ceramic, and wood-burning models. Electric and gas water heaters operate using electricity and natural gas, respectively. Ceramic and wood-fired units burn fuel such as coal, wood, biomass, and charcoal.

• The filter

Filters remove impurities from water. Depending on the type of water you use, you may need a carbon block filter, sand filter, or diatomaceous earth (DE).

DE removes chlorine and heavy metals. Most filters can last between 6 months and 2 years. After that, it is recommended to replace them.

As you can see, there are many parts of your energy efficiency hot water system that play an important role in delivering warm water. If you want to ensure that you will always have access to hot water, then it’s best to take care of all aspects of your hot water system.