Hot water is quintessential in every household and commercial place. Whether it is for general use, bathing, or washing utensils, having a water heater ensures there is hot water anytime you want.
When you embark on your journey to buy the best water heater, it may be intimidating. There are plenty of options and a large number of appliances available.
However, often, you end up purchasing a water heater that your relative or friend recommended or the one a salesman pushed you to purchase.
As the requirement of families differs, so does the number of water heaters.
However, one of the most important parts of a water heater is the coating and tank material of its storage tank.
Why Coating of Water Heater is Important?
A water heater is essential not only to heat water but also to store that hot water and use it as and when required. Depending on the utility, you may want to store hot water for an hour or so.
However, corrosion is unavoidable. It is pertinent to note that the water supply is always ON in a geyser. Hence, water heaters always contain water.
Manufacturers coat the heater’s inner surface with an anti-corrosive material that prevents corrosion whenever it is exposed to water. As a result, the life of appliances increase.
Materials Used for Storage Heater Tank
Manufacturing companies use normal materials for storage tanks, such as stainless steel, copper, thermoplastic.
Copper is a good conductor of heat, which leads to heat loss.
Stainless steel, on the other hand, is a better option that provides better insulation. However, both copper and stainless steel are corrosive and, an anti-corrosive coating is required.
Thermoplastic is a non-corrosive material but it does not have good insulating properties. Hence, the conclusion is that stainless steel storage tanks are the right choice of anti-corrosive and insulation.
List of Coating Materials
The quality and nature of coating materials used in water heaters are important.
Some of the common coatings materials are –
- Porcelain enamel glass lining
- Glass coating
- Blue silicon enamel coating
- Vitreous enamel coating
- Polymer coating.
Which Coating Material is Best for Water Heater?
If you notice, most of the coating materials are usually made of some kind of processed glass.
Now, glass coatings on metal is a complicated task. It is a unique way of making the best possible option for coating.
However, it is not necessary to get into details.
As glass is a bad conductor of heat, it gives you excellent insulation when used together with stainless steel.
Polymer, on the other hand, is a different material. It is a synthetic material. You can apply polymers like ordinary paint on a metal surface to protect it from corrosion.
Now, the big question is – which of these is a better choice – polymer coating or glass coating?
When usage is concerned, glass coating is widely accepted. However, persistent use can damage the coating.
Theoretically, the polymer coating is better compared to glass coating.
Final Word
Good insulation is important to prevent heat loss. Besides, the concept of standing loss also driver star ratings.
Therefore, it is best to use a combination of a stainless steel storage tank with glass or polymer coating.
Star rating is another important factor to consider. Always consider a 5-star rating geyser. It is a bit expensive, but it is the best choice for long-term use.
Another important factor that should affect your purchase decision is the warranty. Generally, manufacturers provide a long time warranty on geysers with better protection against corrosion. Do check out the manufacturer’s warranty before buying a geyser.