Principle Of Operation of Condensing and Non-Condensing Boilers
After much inquiry and research, you have finally made the decision to purchase a tankless water heater. But then you came across a new question: water heater condensing or not?
To get an answer to this question, you can read this blog, where you will see the principle of operation of condensing and non-condensing water heaters. You will find out which of them has higher efficiency, based on which you can make a decision which water heater is perfect for your home.
When heating water, a certain fuel is needed to run the heaters that heat the water. This is why water vapor is created in the water heater as a by-product, after which it cools and condenses on the surface. This water is acidic and therefore there is a risk of corrosion of all the materials from which household appliances are made.
A non-condensing tankless water heater must vent all of these by-products outside the unit through heat and corrosion resistant ducts. When releasing heat, energy is lost, so non-condensing units have an efficiency of 80%.
Tankless condensing water heaters recycle this water vapor and release it only when it is no longer useful for the heating process. This water is much cooler and does not require expensive material to expel the by-products. Since this unit uses by-product energy, the efficiency of these water heaters is 98%. Exhaust gases, as well as condensation steam, are collected inside the unit, for which the heat exchanger is responsible. That is why it must be made of quality and non-corrosive material.
Based on this data and the acquired new knowledge, you can answer the question of water heater condensing or not yourself and decide which water heater to buy.