Different Types of Gas Hot Water Cylinders: A Comprehensive Guide

It’s easy to forget about the hot water tank. On average, each Canadian uses 75 litres of hot water per day, and it all comes from one simple appliance. The gas hot water cylinder is one of the most important things in the house, even though it’s usually hidden in the basement.

This guide will tell you everything you need to know about your hot water tank, including how it works, how to pick a new one, how to keep it in good shape, and how it affects your home insurance.

Table of Contents

Types of Hot Water Tanks

1. Water Heater With a Tank

The most common type of water heater in Canada is the one with a tank. When you think of a hot water heater, you probably think of one of these. Tank water heaters can be as small as 85 litres for a home with only one or two people or as big as 200 litres for a home with five or more people. Most of them get their power from electricity, propane, or natural gas.

The biggest problem with storage tank water heaters is that they use energy to keep water hot all the time, even when they aren’t being used (like overnight).

2. Tankless hot Water Heater

The tankless hot water heater, as its name suggests, doesn’t have a tank to store water. Instead, they heat the water when they need it. They are much smaller than models that look like tanks and use less energy as well. Tankless water heaters work well and last for a long time. If you want to learn more about tankless water heaters, we have a whole article about them.

What are the cons? They cost more than tank-style heaters and may not be able to provide enough water for peak usage, like when someone is taking a shower and the dishwasher is running.

3. A Heat Pump Is Used to Heat Water.

Even though they look like tanks, heat pump hot water heaters are very different from regular tank heaters. Instead of heating the water directly, they use electricity to pull heat from the air around them and use it to heat the water. They work the opposite of a refrigerator, pumping heat out instead of bringing it in. These devices are very efficient and use up to 60% less electricity than a regular hot water tank.

Unfortunately, they don’t work well in cold basements, which is where most water heaters are kept. The less heat they have to work with, the less efficiently they run. They are also pretty expensive, but the money you save on energy can quickly make up for that.

How To Choose A Tank And Heater For Hot Water?

Choose the fuel source for your hot water tank.
One of the main things that affects how well your tank works is where the fuel comes from (and how much it will cost you to run). Most people choose the fuel source that is already set up in their home.
For instance, if your home is already hooked up to natural gas, you would choose a natural gas heater. If you don’t have a gas system, it makes more sense to buy an electric heater than to set up a gas line and venting.
It’s also important to think about how much utilities cost where you live. Most of the time, natural gas is a lot cheaper than electricity. So, a gas heater costs more at first, but it might pay for itself over time.