Water Heater Parts

Life could not have been easier without gadgets. You want a hot coffee, there is an electric kettle to do it. To wash clothes, there is your washing machine and if you were just thinking of a relaxing soak, you have the geyser to get you a hot water bath. So life has become simple but dependent on home appliances. But as important as that, in my opinion, one must know the technical functioning of an appliances he uses, to some extent. So let's start with a simple appliance which remains an indispensable home appliance and that is your water heater.

Types of Water Heaters

A water heater, as the name suggests, heats water. There are two basic types of water heater - tank water heater and tankless water heater. In a tank heater, there is a storage tank which is insulated and has a heating system installed in it. There is a water inlet into the tank that supplies cold water which is heated by the water heater. The hot water is then stored in the storage tank and is used whenever needed. However in a tank-less heater, there is no storage as such. Here the cold water passes through some heating coils and the hot water is supplied whenever needed.

A tankless water heater comes across as a better alternative to the former one, because in case of a tank water heater, the hot water is stored even when it is not required. And needless to say, more electricity is consumed in a tank water heater. Your water heater could run on gas or electricity. Both the gas and the electric water heater parts are quite identical, except that in case of the former, there are no heating coils. Instead there is a gas burner for heating purpose.

Parts of a Water Heater

• A heavy steel tank is installed in a water heater. It is equipped to hold hot water, as much as 40-60 gallons. It is also designed to hold pressure of the residential water system, about 50-100 psi and the tank can hold about 300 psi. It is also in lined with a bonded glass liner to keep the water clean from rust. Needless to say, the tank is well insulated.
• Then there are two pipes, an inlet and an outlet for the tank. The former is known as the dip tube which lets in the cold water. And the outlet pipe is to let the hot water out of the tank.
• Then comes the thermostat, which is an integral part of most electrical appliances. A water heater is equipped with a thermostat to regulate the temperature at which the water is heated. It is very important to maintain the temperature of the water at the correct and desired temperature. Recommended temperature setting is 120-140 degrees F.
• If your tank heater is electric, then there are heating coils inside the water heater which help in heating the water in the tank. Usually these heating coils are made up of copper or nichrome wire, because these wirings offer excellent heat conduction with a high resistivity to oxidation. Meanwhile, if your water heater runs on gas (say, it is a propane water heater), there is a gas burner which aids in water heating.
• The water heater also contains a drain valve, which is used for emptying the tank. This becomes important when one needs to move the tank or replace some elements for repair.
• As a safety measure, there is a temperature pressure relief valve (TPR) in the water heater. This releases water, if the temperature and pressure exceeds a certain limit. If the pressure is not controlled, there is a chance that your water heater might end up exploding, which is definitely a dangerous situation.
• To keep the storage tank from corroding, the water tank heater is equipped with a sacrificial anode rod that prevents any water corrosion within the tank.

When you plan to get a water heater for your home, decide on the type first and also on the size. Of course, if your home is small, you need to settle for a smaller water heater. If you are opting for a tank-less water heater model, then again you have the options of electricity run or a gas run model. And it is evident, in tank vs tankless water heater the latter will last you more years than a tank water heater. There is not much difference in the parts, with the only difference being that in tankless water heater there is no storage tank.