How do immersion heaters work

How does an immersion heater work? August 4, How does an immersion heater work? Think kettle! Some people use immersion heaters as the main source of hot water in their homes, others like to have one as part of a back-up system, ensuring there will be hot water even if their combi-boiler breaks down Are immersion heaters expensive to run? Related posts. Mar 19 Gas. Become a Gas Installer in 4 steps. Budget — how will it affect tradespeople?

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Commercial Gas Courses. Domestic Gas Courses. How do immersion heaters work? Who needs an immersion heater? Pros The thermostatic control on an immersion heater will ensure that the temperature of the water is kept constant, by automatically switching on and off the heater as required.

Unlike a central heating system, immersion heaters are not connected to a boiler, so even if you have a faulty boiler you can still have a hot shower. A well-insulated immersion heater can keep water warm even after several hours of it being turned off. You can set the immersion heater to heat water at convenient off-peak hours when energy charges are lesser. Immersion heaters are extremely easy to operate and use. They commonly only require you to turn off and on a switch, and regulate the thermostat.

But deciding which one is best for you is the important part. This blog aims to help you decide whether or not an immersion heater is the best source of heating for your home. In simple terms, immersion heaters are devices that provide hot water for your home, powered by electricity. However, an immersion heater could be your knight in shining armour if your central heating fails, as it can still provide your home with hot water.

Hot water immersion heaters can also be used as your main source of hot water or as a back-up for your traditional gas boiler, as it is separate from your central heating boiler and radiators. Those who still have older gas boilers or oil boilers in their property often choose to install an electric immersion heater as a safety blanket, so that they always have a supply of hot water. You will also find that immersion heater tanks are the primary source of hot water in newly built homes that are not supplied by the main gas network or homes that are off the grid as a result of their remote locations.

Immersion heaters are located within a large hot water cylinder, also known as an electric resistance heater that heats the surrounding water. They are connected to the main power supply and can be switched on and off on-demand, meaning you do not have to have it switched on and heating the water constantly.

When turned on, electricity passes through the metallic element, heating the surrounding water. The immersion heater sits inside a hot water cylinder and is powered by a strong electric current which works to heat the water until it reaches optimum temperature.

It is important to note that to kill any potential pathogen any nasty bacteria inside the tank the immersion heater needs to heat the water to at least 50 degrees so that the water is safe to use. The heating process can take anywhere from 1. Well, the storage cylinder is filled with cold water which enters through the bottom of the tank. The cold water then rises to the top as it is heated. As more cold water enters the bottom of the tank and the pressure in the tank builds up, the required pressure is reached for the hot water to leave the immersion water heater and find its way to your baths, showers, and sinks.

In addition to using electricity from the mains supply to activate the immersion heater, it is also possible to connect them to solar panels and other renewable energy sources, which can help to reduce the energy costs. If you feel that your home requires a constant and steady supply of hot water, you may choose to keep your immersion heater on at all times.

However, this can be quite costly and inefficient as it uses a lot of electricity to keep the water hot. What is the most effective way of using an immersion heater? You could set your immersion heater thermostat to a lower temperature so not so much electricity has to be used for the water to reach optimum temperature.

However, it is important to remember that it needs to reach a minimum temperature of 50 degrees to remove any bacteria.

Setting the thermostat will mean that the immersion heater will stop working once it reaches the right temperature and only power up when it drops below a certain level of heat. Another way of doing this is by using an immersion heater timer to only allow your immersion heater to turn on during off-peak hours. This leads us on to the next section of the blog, the pros and cons of using immersion heating.

Cons Although immersion heaters can be a great way of providing homes with a reliable supply of hot water, there are some downfalls that you may want to consider before installing one in your home. Pre-planning when to turn your immersion heater on. You will need to wait for a full tank of water to be heated.