As homes get smaller, the space inside them gains more of a premium, leading to many essential products and appliances growing smaller in size. Victoria Gutierrez, Head of Marketing at Ariston, looks at how electric water heaters have adapted to the evolving built environment while maintaining high levels of efficiency and controllability.
With research revealing the average property in England measures 729 square feet (68m2) – with some homes even recorded as small as 705 square feet (65.5m2) in the London area* – the old adage ‘size matters’ suddenly seems rather appropriate. Smaller properties obviously mean smaller rooms inside, thereby putting space at a premium.
However, the heating and hot water sector has been well-aware of these space constraints for many years, so has been developing and adapting products to ensure this does not become an issue. Modern technology has already evolved to a point where significant emphasis is placed upon versatility, accessibility and compactness.
Electric water heaters, in particular, have transformed during the last decade, allowing them to be fitted seamlessly into modern kitchens or bathrooms. The market for small unvented and vented electric water heaters has experienced steady growth over the last five years; however, one of the more significant developments has been eliminating the need for a separate, bulky storage cylinder, enabling units to become more compact in size.
Considering UK homes traditionally house a large hot water cylinder in the airing cupboard, replacing this with a compact electric water heater suddenly increases the amount of valuable storage space available. Traditional cylinders also have lengthy warm up times; again, a modern water heater will render these components surplus to requirements and free up even more valuable space inside a property.
Indeed, when requiring a healthy capacity of 45 to 80-litres, the most advanced electric water heaters now have the storage tanks built-in. Ariston’s own Velis Evo Wi-Fi, for instance, utilises space-saving twin-tank technology measuring an ultra slim 27cm in depth, so it can be easily fitted in a range of applications – without affecting water heating performance. As these units do not need a constant reservoir of water, large storage space is not required, making it easier to mount them on walls or fit in cupboards. Plus, it ensures they are lighter in weight and less cumbersome in terms of transportation and installation.
However, there is more to these slim water heaters than space-saving credentials alone. They offer further energy efficiency and usability benefits, with more advanced products boasting fast reheat times (our unit can be shower-ready in less than 30 minutes, for example). Quiet, clean and easy to operate, they do not emit any harmful greenhouse gases or nitrogen dioxide. Furthermore, modern electric water heaters provide exceptional levels of controllability – especially those models incorporating Wi-Fi technology as standard.
Of course, the majority of plumbing and heating engineers should already be familiar with advances in smart control technology, given its prominence in the boiler and central heating sector. But what isn’t as well known is that modern DHW products are also taking advantage of connectivity, providing end users with total control of their water heating from their smartphone. As with the majority of ‘smart’ systems, this is usually via an intuitive app, which offers daily and weekly programming, alongside the ability to create weekly schedules – as well as monitor energy consumption. The latter is particularly useful in helping reducing fuel bills, which is beneficial to low-income homes and rental properties alike.
Prior to the advent of apps and growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), end users were only able to manually set water heaters, as there were no means available to adjust or manage units remotely. Now, this can all be done without anyone even needing to be in their property! This ensures homeowners will always have enough hot water (or a hot shower) ready when required, no matter their location.
In addition to smart controls, modern units also benefit from other built-in sustainable functions, such as learning from a household’s daily usage, ensuring that water is only heated during the periods when demand is high. Doing so ensures an electric water heater is not left cycling during periods when a house is empty, such as 9am to 5pm throughout a typical working week. Similarly, if the unit has been fitted in an office or commercial application, it will not heat any water afterhours or at weekends.
So, while properties may be getting smaller, demand for electric water heating is doing the exact opposite, with the sector predicted to continue growing during the next decade. Manufacturers are already aware of how to best utilise water heating technology to fit the most compact spaces without compromising on performance. As a result, the latest electric units can be relied on to provide lashings of hot water while maintaining excellent levels of efficiency and reliability.
To find out more about Ariston’s water heaters click here
