Motoring0 min ago
Alternative To Immersion Heater
31 Answers
I am very happy with my central heating system and have no wish to change it.
It cannot heat the hot water without heating the whole house so in the summer months I put the immersion heater on for one hour day. This gives me ample hot water but I feel this is wasteful and there must be another way.
We have no baths, only electric showers, and the dishwasher and washing machine are cold fill only. Is there an alternative on the market? I remember the gas water heaters over the sink when I was a child but that would be expensive to run but I'm not up to date with what is available today.
All suggestions gratefully received.
It cannot heat the hot water without heating the whole house so in the summer months I put the immersion heater on for one hour day. This gives me ample hot water but I feel this is wasteful and there must be another way.
We have no baths, only electric showers, and the dishwasher and washing machine are cold fill only. Is there an alternative on the market? I remember the gas water heaters over the sink when I was a child but that would be expensive to run but I'm not up to date with what is available today.
All suggestions gratefully received.
Answers
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"Most solar tanks have an inbuilt heater to top up the temperature when there is inadequate sun. "
What you mean like, er... an immersion heater? :-)
I know you said you don't want to change your CH system, hc, but you may like to consider a replacement boiler and go for a Combi boiler. They heat the Domestic Hot Water only as required and you don't have a tank. More than that, the newest "condensing" boilers use considerably less gas. My gas consumption dropped by about 25% when I replaced mine a couple of years ago.
What you mean like, er... an immersion heater? :-)
I know you said you don't want to change your CH system, hc, but you may like to consider a replacement boiler and go for a Combi boiler. They heat the Domestic Hot Water only as required and you don't have a tank. More than that, the newest "condensing" boilers use considerably less gas. My gas consumption dropped by about 25% when I replaced mine a couple of years ago.
I think this is the type of thing Islay mentions
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^^ a Quooker tap
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NJ, I'm pretty sure that hc4361's objection is not to the concept of an element immersed in water, but rather to the wastefulness of using it for an hour a day to heat water from cold to hot. The heater in a solar tank comes on maybe a few minutes on some days to raise the temperature by a few degrees.
It's probably better if you refrain from sarcasm under circumstances where it only goes to emphasise you failure to grasp the issues - specially if you are going to follow it up with a suggestion that the OP has already indicated that he doesn't want.
It's probably better if you refrain from sarcasm under circumstances where it only goes to emphasise you failure to grasp the issues - specially if you are going to follow it up with a suggestion that the OP has already indicated that he doesn't want.
I'm surprised there are systems that do the heating only: I just assumed a boiler would inevitably do both jobs, so I've learnt something.
So what are you using hot water for ? If just washing up then there's always the kettle. We used to use that as a kid as we only had immersion water heating (at least when the coal fire wasn't lit).
The Quooker is an option although surely that's always on keeping a smaller reserve near boiling.
But over sink heaters still exist. https:/
So what are you using hot water for ? If just washing up then there's always the kettle. We used to use that as a kid as we only had immersion water heating (at least when the coal fire wasn't lit).
The Quooker is an option although surely that's always on keeping a smaller reserve near boiling.
But over sink heaters still exist. https:/
Blimey, those quookers are expensive!
I need hot water in the bathroom for washing, shaving and of course cleaning the bathroom.
I need hot water in the kitchen for hand washing, a bit of washing up and general cleaning and mopping.
I never run out of hot water but it annoys me that the kitchen hot tap runs 6 pints of cold water every time I use it. I know it's six pints because I run it into a clean, plastic milk bottle and reuse it. Still wasteful in my opinion.
The over sink heaters I've looked at this morning seem fine for hand washing but not for filling a kitchen sink. Dire warnings about burning out the element. Also it would have to be electric.
I appreciate all the ideas so far. My trusty old boiler must be 30 years old and apart from an annual service has never failed me nor cost me a penny in repairs. I have read many complaints that newer boilers don't last 10 years which is why I am reluctant to install a new one. I may be wrong but I'm worried about the mess, disruption and damage to my decor if I buy a new type of boiler.
I need hot water in the bathroom for washing, shaving and of course cleaning the bathroom.
I need hot water in the kitchen for hand washing, a bit of washing up and general cleaning and mopping.
I never run out of hot water but it annoys me that the kitchen hot tap runs 6 pints of cold water every time I use it. I know it's six pints because I run it into a clean, plastic milk bottle and reuse it. Still wasteful in my opinion.
The over sink heaters I've looked at this morning seem fine for hand washing but not for filling a kitchen sink. Dire warnings about burning out the element. Also it would have to be electric.
I appreciate all the ideas so far. My trusty old boiler must be 30 years old and apart from an annual service has never failed me nor cost me a penny in repairs. I have read many complaints that newer boilers don't last 10 years which is why I am reluctant to install a new one. I may be wrong but I'm worried about the mess, disruption and damage to my decor if I buy a new type of boiler.
