A water heater plays a vital role in every home. however, if you’re new and don’t know much about them, you may get confused because there are many options!
One query that we frequently notice on the internet is “Direct Vs. Indirect Water Heater” most people combine these two terms in one term.
So if you’re looking for a detailed guide on the difference between the direct and indirect water heater, this post can solve all your doubts and give you clear information.
Let’s jump into the content!
Direct Vs. Indirect Water Heater
Although both help to heat water adequately for home use, they do it by different means.
Briefly, Direct water has a built-in burner, and the water is heated with the help of oil, propane, or natural gas, while an indirect water heater is dependent on your home’s existing boiler or furnace to heat the water.
Each of these water heaters contains different benefits and features, and some people found that a direct heater is the best option while others on this same planet prefer indirect heaters.
So it can be a challenging task for you to pick the right system for your needs. To overcome this complicated issue, we always suggest that you research a lot and know the proper use of them and their purposes and then pick one that can meet your family requirements.
Comparing Indirect vs. Direct hot water systems:
Since knowing the difference between the indirect and direct heater is important for every household, with this in mind, we have made a short table that highlights the principal differences.
| Direct Water Heaters | Indirect Water Heaters |
| They have a burner by default and the water is heated by oil, natural gas. | They work with your existing power sources such as gas, propane, electricity, oil, solar energy. |
| Expensive installation cost | The installation charge is reasonable |
| They consume a high power compared to an indirect heater | They can save water heating bills as they use your home’s existing power sources |
| They are compact | They are compact too |
| Hard water can cause a little issue | Hard water can cause a little issue |
| They require electricity to run and regulate | They do not require electricity |
| They require maintenance at least once a year | They require less maintenance |
| They are popular for small houses | They are widely used in the mid and large houses |
| They can last for up to 20 years | They can last for up to 15-20 years |
How Does An Indirect Water Heater Work?
The way an indirect water heater works is it runs off of a heating unit, and essentially it’s like an extra heating zone on the heating unit.
The unit flow the water and since your boiler has its own thermostat or aquastat which once the temperature of that water reaches a point, the unit calls for heat, and the heating unit turns on a circulator pump which sends hot water in through a pipe, and that goes into the unit and it runs through a coil.
The water that’s sitting inside of the unit is heated up by that water, and then the hot water can be distributed by your house out anywhere that’s calling for hot water.
Here you will get a clear idea about the 6 best indirect water heater reviews and choose your desired product from here.
See Also: What is the best water heater?
How Does A Direct Water Heater Work?
The working process of a direct water heater is not such a complicated thing that you can’t understand easily, and as the name suggests, a direct water heater works without the use of a storage tank.
A direct water heater provides a smooth supply of hot water because once the faucet is turned on, the cold water starts flowing via a heat exchanger in the unit, the gas burner or an electric component warms the cold water to make it hot!
What we understand from the entire process is you don’t need to wait a moment for any external tank to fill up with hot water, and that makes the direct water heater more convenient to use.
Benefits and Problems of Using Indirect Heaters:
Nothing in the world contains a good side only, everything is mixed up, and in the case of an indirect water heater, this concept is not exceptional, in the below section, we’ve highlighted some benefits and issues of using this type of heater.
Advantages:
- They can save money because they get power from either a furnace or boiler.
- They are easy to install and require less maintenance.
- They can help you to heat a huge amount of water.
- Small homeowners can consider an indirect heater because they are compact.
- There are no additional burners to maintain
- No worry about any additional venting or fuel lines to run the machine
- They have the higher recovery rates
Disadvantage:
- If you’re living in such an area where only hard water is available, an indirect heater may be unable to heat the water perfectly.
- If you want to heat a massive amount of water at once, you may need to consider a large boiler because the current boiler might not be able to handle the overload.
- They are not so attractive to look at.
- You must need to have an existing power source to run an indirect heater.
Benefits and Issues of Using Direct Heaters:
Direct water heaters are widely used machines among most people and of course, some strong examples can be highlighted to prove the truth. However, in addition to having good sides, it also has bad sides.
Advantage:
- The biggest benefit of using a direct water heater is energy efficiency because this heater helps you heat water only as much as you need.
- You can save your space with a direct water heater.
- They look stylish and modern at the same time.
- The heating elements of a direct water heater units heat water when it is needed.
- If you have a well quality direct heater, it can be said that the machine can sustain full function for 4-5 years without maintenance.
- They can lower their electricity bills because they use less energy.
Disadvantage:
- The installation cost can be expensive
- They take a long time to supply hot water
People Also Ask
- Are Indirect water heaters more efficient?
Yes, although the indirect water heaters only work with a storage tank, they are efficient because the energy gathered by the tank will support the furnace to switch off and on less often and that will ultimately help you save energy.
It will depend on your maintenance if your family requirements are high from your water heater, the heater may have to take a lot of loads that may reduce its working capacity, however, an indirect heater lasts 15-20 years under the normal uses.
An Indirect heater brings so many benefits but the most noticeable advantage of using this type of water heater is it can reduce flue losses, it provides better performance and you can use it to heat a large amount of water.
Final Verdict :
When it comes to considering buying a water heater for home use, a lot of models and types can confuse you to pick the right one.
Direct and indirect water heaters are the most common types of heaters, but most people don’t know their difference, and that is where people search for an article on Direct Vs. Indirect Water Heater.
So we hope you enjoyed the whole part of this article now you’re clear about this common topic.
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