How Long Does a Heat Pump Hot Water System Take to Heat Up?

Hot water is essential in servicing both domestic and commercial needs. A hot water system is a system that uses different parts to heat and store water for commercial and domestic purposes.

Commercial usage includes laundry services and hotel services such as hand cleaning & sanitization, whereas domestic usage includes bathing and cleaning.

A hot water system can be powered by solar energy, gas energy, or electric energy. In Australia, most households enjoy the convenience and comfort these systems provide.

However, do you know how long it takes for your hot water system to heat up?

We shall explore some of the different types of hot water systems and find out how long it takes each of them to heat up. Factors influencing heat time will also be discussed.

The different types of hot water systems

Electric hot water systems

There are two varieties of electric hot water systems: one type has a storage tank, while the other is tankless.

Electric water systems with a storage tank store a large amount of water that can be used for multiple purposes such as running showers.

There is an element within the tanks that facilitates the heating process just like in an electric kettle. Water in the electric hot water system is insulated and requires periodic reheating to maintain the set temperature.

The second tankless option (the continuous flow hot water system), can heat water to the desired temperature, when there is demand for it, without the need to store the water.

High-powered heating elements are used for heating, requiring up to 3-phase power to be connected.

The wait for more hot water in electric tank system can be longer, whereas for the tankless system, it will depend on how far the pipes are from the outlet.

The tankless system is said to heat up water within a few minutes (5-7 minutes for instance) where water is transferred to the heating elements which send it directly to the shower.

The electric hot water systems with a tank need 1-2 hours for heating a 150-litre tank. The type of water heater determines heating time, with propane tankless taking 0 minutes.

Gas hot water system

This type of heaters also comes in two varieties: the gas hot water storage system and the continuous flow water system. A gas burner located underneath the storage tank is used to heat the stored hot water continuously. For safety reasons, the water is maintained at 60 °C.

The continuous flow type is fueled by gas ensuring no heat is lost during the process. Hot water is delivered continuously, hence this type requires considerations of sized gas pipes and gas meters.

The time it takes for the gas hot water storage system to heat water will vary.

However under normal circumstances, it will take 30-60 minutes for a 150-litre tank. For the other type, no time is needed as hot water flows instantly once the tap is turned on.

Solar hot water system

Solar hot water systems have existed since the early 1980’s and are installed in a good number of home buildings.

Due to the dependency on solar energy, there are times when solar supply is in excess and times where it is deficient. The domestic solar hot water system is able to receive controlled signals based on the environmental temperatures.

This system allows one to use energy stored at any preferred time based on need i.e. Collect and store the solar energy on a given day to use it on a later date.

Solar energy heaters depend on several variables for the time they take to heat water.

These include the availablity of sunlight on a particular day, the capacity of the storage tank and initial temperatures of the water. Expect few hours (at least half a day) to heat water on a sunny day and a bit longer (at least the whole day) for the same on a cloudy day.

Heat-pump hot water system

Heat is extracted from the ambient air then transferred to the water in this type of hot water system. The heating is almost likened to the electric type, however, heat pumps have better heating rate.

The water heating time using a heat pump will also depend on various factors like ambient air temperature around the heat pump’s air heat exchanger and the power the heat transfer can transfer into the water.

A 250-litre tank filled with completely cold water may take approximately 3-3.5 hours to heat the water, assuming the water heater was set at 60 Degrees Celsius. 1 to 2 hours will be required for a 150-litre tank water to heat.

Factors that affect heat-up time

Many factors influence the time it takes to heat water using the different hot water systems. Some factors only affect specific types of systems.

For instance, availability of sunshine and geographical location of the user are only factors determining heating time for solar hot water systems. A summary of common factors affecting all systems includes:

The size of the storage equipment
The initial water temperatures and the water temperature settings for heating limit.
The efficiency of the heating element e.g. a burner in the gas hot water system.
System efficiency and age.

Control and Maintenance of Hot water systems

The performance of the hot water system in use will contribute to better heating time. Consider regular evaluation of the system like ensuring thermostat settings are well, no water is leaking, and the heating elements are in good functioning condition.

When purchasing, consider the best hot water system that suits your needs and environment. Regular maintenance is recommended for maintaining consistent or improved heat-up time.

Conclusion

Every user needs to know the time it takes to heat up water at least for the hot water system they use.

The factors that influence heat-up time require much consideration to allow you to save on energy and achieve optimal performance with your hot water system. You may need to consult a professional for expert services.