Water Heater Buying Guide

by cv | Nov 1, 2020 | Water Heater

Water Heater Buying Guide

If you are planning to buy a new water heater or geyser, you may very well end up being puzzled by the types of water heaters and geysers, models and sizes available. What you eventually choose will depend mainly on the purpose of the hot water, where you install the apparatus, bathroom spacing, your preference for instant geyser or storage geyser, and yes, your budget! Consumer VOICE brings to you this buying guide to assist you to consider important factors and features of a water heater before taking a decision.

Factors to consider before buying a water heater

Here is a compilation of all the things you should know before making the all-important purchase.

1. Type of water heater or geyser

The first decision is necessarily about the heating method: electric or gas? An electrically heated storage-tank system is usually relatively cheap to buy and install, but is usually the most expensive to run, especially if it’s on the continuous (full day) rate. Electric instantaneous water heaters are also available. An LPG water heater is a good option if you want an instant water heater. It’s cheaper than the electric type.

Then there is the solar water heater (SWH), which is the conversion of sunlight into heat for water heating using a solar thermal collector. A sun-facing collector heats water that passes into a storage system for later use. You need a large tank to allow for days with less sunlight. If your panels cannot be installed in an ideal location, they may be less efficient and you will then need a larger collection area.

2. Storage tank or instantaneous water heater

The next decision is between a water heater with storage tank and one that heats water instantly. Most electric, gas and solar water heaters have a tank. Stainless steel tanks are more expensive but generally last longer and do not require as much maintenance as mild-steel tanks. Water heaters with copper tank are best but costlier.

Instantaneous or continuous-flow water heaters give only as much water as you need, when you need it. They are not truly instantaneous, though – it can take a few seconds before hot water starts flowing from the tap, especially when there is a fair distance of the pipe between the water heater and the tap. Instantaneous water heaters are available in gas and electric models. There are no heat losses; they are often cheaper to run than storage systems.

3. Household size and water usage

What is the right size of water heater will depend on how much hot water you use. For a small household (about 2 persons), an instantaneous water heater (gas or electric) will do just fine. For a medium-size household (3 to 4 persons), gas systems (instantaneous water heaters or storage) may be preferred. For a large household (5 persons+), multiple instantaneous water heaters may be an option; gas storage units may be more economical but are equally risky due to release of carbon monoxide in the closed toilets.

4. Energy efficiency or star ratings of an electric water heater

Electric water heaters have energy-efficiency star rating labels; the more the stars, the more efficient is the water heater. The highest rating is five stars. The modern tankless water heaters are much more energy-efficient than the traditional ones. When the water in the tank cools off, the power kicks in and heats it up again. An energy-efficient water heater saves you money on your monthly electricity bill. Before buying a water heater, look for one with a higher star rating.

5. Space matters

A conventional water heater is bulky in size and may take up a good amount of space in your house. On the other hand, a tankless water heater is compact in size and takes up significantly less space than a conventional tank.

6. Longevity

A tankless water heater’s longevity is more than that of a hot-water tank heater because the latter is subject to decay. A tankless on-demand water heater’s lifespan is approximately 20 years, compared to 10 to 15 years for a tank-type water heater. Tankless water heaters also have easily replaceable parts that extend their life.

Features to Consider

Auto-off: This is a very useful feature and needs to be present in all appliances. In a heater with the auto-off feature, the appliance automatically turns off thereby preventing unnecessary power consumption.
Power consumption: A water heater may contribute as much as 15 per cent of your electricity bill. Winters are when you usually make most use of your water heater and hence its energy efficiency should be considered. Nowadays all home appliances are star-rated and opting for products with high star ratings is advisable.
Capacity: The capacity of the water heater is important to consider. It is advisable to opt for instant water heaters for small requirements as it is budget-friendly and occupies very less space as compared to water heaters with storage tank.
Hard water: Hard water is high in dissolved minerals, both calcium and magnesium. This kind of water requires special attention when you are buying a water heater. You will need to go for a corrosion-resistant tank and also install a water softener so as to reduce the water hardness.
Safety: Water heaters come with a thermostat capable of heating water up to 60 degrees – this also means you should be sure of mixing the water with normal to cold water. Most of the branded storage water heaters carry the ISI mark—assuring one of basic safety parameters.

Warranty: Warranty coverage for most water heaters is 1 year to 2 years. Choose a water heater with the longest warranty.

Consumer VOICE recommendations or tips before buying a water heater or geyser

Buy branded electric water heaters ONLY.
Look for a product with the ISI Mark to ensure safety.
Five-star rating is preferable.
By reducing the temperature setting of water heater from 60 degrees C to 50 degrees C, one could save over 18 percent of the energy used at the higher setting.
Location of installation of the water heater is very important. People living near the coast have to take corrosion into account. Saline water can also corrode internal parts of the water heaters.

Our experts compared popular water heaters to help consumers decide which is the best water heater to buy.

Is there an insurance policy to cover the risk of Coronavirus?

by cv | Oct 24, 2020 | Insurance

Situation-1

If your insurance policy provides for a cover against this virus infected disease, then you must remember that claim would be entertained only if you are hospitalized (admitted as an inpatient) for a minimum of 24 hours before discharge from the hospital. If no hospitalization takes place, then your claim on the policy may not come to fruition, unless your insurance policy provides for outpatient cover.

Situation-2

In this critical situation, one should keep calm and stop panicking. Rather, think prudently and act. If you contract this Coronavirus during the waiting period of the policy, then you may not get any relief from the policy. Normally, health insurance policies provide for a 30-day window for covering respiratory diseases such as Coronavirus.

Situation-3

If you have traveled from a Coronavirus-affected country and diagnosed ‘positive’, chances are that you will be covered under the regular indemnity health policy as long as you are quarantined in India. But you should not be traveling from Coronavirus-afflicted countries such as China, Hongkong, Taiwan, Italy, Iran, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, etc. Your claim may also be rejected if you contract this virus from a family member who has traveled to these afflicted countries.

What does the IRDAI say?

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) has recently asked the insurance companies to come out with policies to cover treatment costs for Coronavirus infection.

The IRDAI Circular (IRDAI/HLT/REG/CIR/054/03/2020 dated 04^th March 2020) says that insurers should expeditiously attend to claims for Coronavirus treatment. Wherever hospitalization is covered in an insurance product, insurers should ensure that the cases related to this disease should be expeditiously handled.

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Top Washing Machine Features in Demand Right Now

by cv | Oct 18, 2020 | washing machine

Top Washing Machine Features in Demand Right Now

Buying a washing machine is one of the key decisions for a household because if you make a wrong decision, changing it can cost you a lot more than money. So, it is advised that you do thorough research on what washing machine features you need most and make the purchase accordingly.

Some of the top washing machine features are listed right here. Know about their usage and benefits before thinking of seeking a product that offers these.

Auto Restart

This feature means that if a washing machine cycle is interrupted for any reason like a power outage, the cycle will restart from the point when it was interrupted. This saves time and money as the machine doesn’t redo the same process again. If you live in an area where power outage is common, this feature should be on your list.

Automatic Drainage

If you intend to buy an automatic washing machine and not just a semi-automatic washing machine, you can expect the model to have automatic drainage in washing machine. It means that the water will be drained when the machine senses its time and you won’t have to do that manually.

Child Lock

This one is quite obvious. Child lock in washing machine ensures that once you select and start a washing session, it can’t be changed. This option is suitable for households with active kids who like to experiment with new things.

Hot-Water Wash

This washing machine feature is gaining a lot of popularity in India because hot water is considered better for cleaning clothes. This option is available in top rated washing machines only and can increase the price of a model. It is more required by people who have kids or an ailing person in the family to control bacteria progress in the home.

Wash-Load Sensor

If a washing machine has this feature, the washing machine will detect load volume, fabric type and hence adjust the washing process. The water level required is also judged on the basis of sensors. This feature is not so popular because most people prefer to wash similar fabrics together and do the sorting quickly by using their hands. People who lack time to do such things manually usually opt for this feature.

Air Drying

This feature allows you to air dry clothes with the help of the vents added to the machine during the spin cycle. This function can be switched on and off as per your wish. When you turn it on, the vents will draw warm air from the surroundings and circulate it in the drum to ensure that your clothes are gently warmed, and water is evaporated. This one among washing machine features is best for people who avoid tumble dryers or need to wash bulky clothes regularly.

Smart Rinse

This feature allows you to control how much water will be used to rinse the clothes. If the clothes are not too dirty, you can use minimal water and save on the water bills. But if you have kids or people with sensitive skin or skin issues like eczema at home, you need to opt for extra water rinse to ensure that clothes don’t flare up allergies.

Memory Wash

This feature allows the machine to remember your preferred choices when it comes to different wash loads like baby wash load, cotton wash load, etc. It negates the need to select settings manually every time you do the laundry. This feature is perfect for busy people who want to save time without making any mistakes.

In essence, it can be seen that though new washing machine features like child lock in washing machine or drainage in washing machine are making life easier, they are making the purchase decision more complicated. You should pick the features you need to most on the basis of your current and future requirements to ensure that you make a correct decision. Good Luck!

Want to Save on Utility Bills? Here’s What You Can Do to Boost Energy Efficiency in Washing Machine

by cv | Oct 18, 2020 | washing machine

One of the few things that makes people anxious is the rising cost of the utility bills. If you are also among those countless Indians who want to reduce the energy spending of their homes then you should read on to know how to boost energy efficiency in washing machine. The tips we have mentioned here are tried and tested for enhancing energy efficiency in washing machine and can save you thousands of rupees in a year.

Water Temperature

If you want to save washing machine energy, you should set the water temperature to cold as much as possible. Opt for warm water only if the clothes are too dirty or you suspect that they might have bacteria (like they belong to an ill person). Make sure that the clothes are rinsed in cold water even if you wash them in hot water.

The Right Load

Another trick to enhancing energy efficiency in washing machine is to plan your washing time right. You should wash clothes only when there is a full load and not when you feel like doing the laundry. It is a fact that every wash cycle used 60-90 liters of water so when you plan the washing, you will not only save energy but save water as well.

Detergent Matters

Do not make the common mistake of adding too much detergent to the clothes in order to make them smell great or look whiter. The more extra detergent you add, the more the machine would need to opt for extra rinses and the more would be the amount of water and energy consumed. Stick to the detergent guidelines as much as possible.

Less Work for the Machine

When hoping to achieve energy efficiency in washing machine, you should soak the clothes to get rid of tough stains or most of the dirt or you should dry them in the sunlight rather than opting to use the spin dryer. Both these options will ensure that the machine is used for lesser time and hence, less energy will be consumed.

Use the Right Detergents

Make use of high efficiency detergents whenever possible. They are better than regular detergents because they don’t produce too many suds and hence negate the need to repeatedly rinse laundry.

Clean the Machine Regularly

Every washing machine has some maintenance requirements like cleaning the lint screen before every load or cleaning the dryer duct on a regular basis. Make sure that you follow these instructions to ensure that the machine runs optimally and lasts long. The more you maintain the washing machine, the better it will work and the lesser would be the amount of energy consumed.

Avoid Over Drying

When hoping for enhancing energy efficiency in washing machine, you should use automatic cycle in the dryer rather than timed drying as the latter can lead to overheating while the former uses moisture sensors to determine if and when the laundry is dry.

In essence, it can be seen that saving washing machine energy, boosting energy efficiency in washing machine or enhancing energy efficiency in washing machine doesn’t involve too much effort on your part. Only small changes in habits are needed to make sure that you save on the energy bills. Adopt these tips from today and see the difference in a few months.

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Should You Go for Front Loading or Top Loading Washing Machine

by cv | Oct 18, 2020 | washing machine

When you decide to finally shop for a washing machine and get rid of the hassle of washing clothes by hand, one question that comes to mind is which one should you opt for front loading washing machine or top loading washing machine. Here, we try to find the answer by mentioning the pros and cons of both the options.

Pros of Front-Loading Washing Machines

Gentle on Clothes

Front-loading washing machines work by gently turning your washing over and over in a tumbling action, picking it up and repeatedly dropping it into the wash water. While it sounds harsh, they’re actually quite gentle on clothes. It also makes them better at handling unbalanced loads.

Fast and Efficient

Front-loading washing machines use less water. Hence, you get to save money on the water bills. These machines also clean clothes and dry them more efficiently as the clothes are spun faster in the drum.

Fast Wash

Many front loaders have ‘fast wash’ cycles so you can get done with the laundry faster. However, this one among benefits of front loading is not available in every model.

Cons of Front Loading Washing Machines

Long Wash Cycles

In front-loading washing machines, the wash cycle often takes longer than a top loader.

Costly

The cost of front-loading washing machines is higher that top loading options.

Loud & Bulky

The noise and vibrations from front loaders are sometimes higher than top loaders. They also require a lot of space.

Pros of Top-Loading Washing Machines

Less Costly

The cost of a top loading washing machine is quite less than a front loader.

Space Savvy

They take less space than the front loaders as the drum door is placed on the top of the machine.

Less Complicated

Understanding the use of top loading washing machines is easy. They are also easy to use as they usually have less features as compared to front loaders.

Quiet

The drum in top loading washing machine doesn’t work as fast as a front loading washing machine. It means they are quitter and have less vibrations.

Cons of Top Loading Washing Machines

Water Usage

One key top loading washing machine disadvantage is that it uses more water as compared to a front loading washing machine. So, your water bills may increase.

Fewer Features

Most top loading washing machines have fewer features. If you want a latest machine with all the advanced features, this won’t be a smart buy.

The Verdict

Choosing one from a front loading washing machine or a top loading washing machine is not an easy decision for anyone. You should consider your needs before you buy any of these. If you want more savings on water bills or you have a water shortage issue, you should pick a front loader. Similarly, if you want the washing machine to be space savvy, pick a top loader. There is no perfect answer that will suit all. It’s all about individual needs and choices. Be a smart consumer and do what’s right for you, not what everyone else is doing.

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