The world has used instantaneous water heaters for well over a decade now. For many, especially in Europe where the buildings are hundreds of years old, there is only one set of water pipes leading to the different outlets. To obtain hot water for their showers and sinks, a new type of water heater needed to be developed.

This is when the heat exchangers came into production. Most of these were small electrical heat exchangers that are capable of warming up a small volume of water as it passes by the heating element. These units can be placed near the water outlet for purposes of supplying hot water to that fixture.

What most Americans deem very odd and unsafe are the ones that are placed in the shower units. Turning a knob to adjust the temperature is not the problem, but seeing an electrical cord in the shower sends fear of electric shock to most.

This type of heat exchanger has been tested and developed for decades and is becoming more common in American homes. They are an efficient way to heat water for immediate use.

Unlike their European counterparts, the Americans are installing one large heat exchanger to their existing system. This is possible because most American homes have two sets of pipes.

The advantages to this type of system include two major ones. Because the water is instantly heated, the user never runs out of hot water, no matter how much is used or what number they are in line for when taking a shower.

The second is the energy savings. With no water tank to keep warm, the only time energy is used to heat the water is when it is needed.

There is one drawback. During times of emergencies, many people use the 40 gallon reservoir in their water heater tank as a source of drinking water. This drawback can be eliminated with proper preparation by the home owner.

The new instantaneous water heaters are energy efficient and convenient to use. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact the experts at John C. Flood, Inc. They have been installing these and other plumbing needs for homes in the DC area for over 100 years.

To save money consider Heat Pump Air Conditioners in this era of spiraling energy costs of about 17% per year.  With the hybrid heating options of a new installation you not only will combat the fuel increases, certain federal tax credits available will help you pay for the system.

First of all heat pump systems are more efficient in climate areas considered as having moderate heating and cooling needs.  This puts us exactly in this category where we are in the DC area of the country.

Information directly from the U.S. Department of Energy explains how a hybrid heating system performs.  Heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a cool space into a warm area, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer.

How a Heat Pump Works:

During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house; during the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors.

Heat pumps can provide up to 4 times the amount of energy then what they consume.  This effectively can trim as much as 30% to 40% from your heating and cooling electric consumption.

There are two basic types of heat pump systems, the air source heat pump which works fine in this climate, however might not be as efficient in the extremely cold areas such as the north east.  The second type, and considered more efficient, is known as the geothermal heat pumps (ground-source or water-source,) which transfer heat between your house and the ground or a nearby water source.

You should contact one of the specialists at John C. Flood, Inc. to determine which of these two types of heat pump and air conditioning combination units would work best for your home or business.  The Flood team will also have a chart that they can show you as to the amount of tax credits you will receive with the installation of a new hybrid system.