Since the beginning of time, even before man transitioned into the Iron Age and finally the Digital Age, water has been an integral part of our lives. Apart from the fact that water is a bare necessity for survival, water is perhaps the single most important part of the daily lives of the average man. It is used for domestic chores including, washing, bathing, cooking, and others.
Over time, we have come to discover that hot water is even more useful than lukewarm water. With the dawn of technology, we have been able to provide ourselves with hot water at the touch of a button. Formerly, water was heated in kettles and pots, a process that denies us a continuous supply of hot water at predetermined temperatures. With water heaters, however, we have been able to circumvent that issue. Invented back in the late 1800s, water heaters provide heated water continuously at preset temperatures. We all know the joy we derive from getting water at a temperature of our choosing, anytime, any day.
Water heaters work by utilizing an energy source to heat water until it reaches the predetermined temperature level. Therein lies it’s major flaw. Water heaters consume an insane amount of energy, be it electrical or solar. Since water heaters release hot water straight from the taps at will, that means there is a constant movement of cold water into the heaters; cold water that is, in turn, being continually heated so that it is always at the preset temperature whenever you need it.
Therefore, energy is misused even when your taps are turned off as the water is constantly heated. This phenomenon is known as heat loss on standby. However, technology never sleeps. It is part of our core makeup. We are constantly searching for ways to increase our comfort levels. Ways to make sure that we enjoy as much as we want without wasting resources.
To this end, we have been coming up with newer versions of water heaters that extensively lessen the quantity of heat loss and energy wasted on standby mode. Tankless water heaters, electric showers, and solar heaters; each of these have been a step in the evolutionary ladder of water heating; a ladder that has led us to this singular invention and new technology – Smart Water Heaters.
Pioneered about three years ago, smart water heaters are all the rave now due to all of the cool new features and energy saving capabilities they possess. The trend of using smart water heaters have been helped in no small part by the advent of digital homes or smart homes, as they are called.
In smart homes, appliances, devices, and systems are connected to each other and to your smartphones for better efficiency and control. Refrigerators, television, lighting systems, windows, and doors have all been imbued with “intelligence”. Up next is the water heater.
Of course, various companies and brands are churning out their own variants of the water heater. However, there are a few features that are common to all of them; features that make this ingenious new technology a must-have for the modern home.
Smart water heaters have Wi-Fi settings which are updated enough that they can work using 5G wireless signals. This basically means that smart water heaters can be connected to your iPhones, iPads, tablets, personal computers, and another smartphone. As long as you have a Wi-Fi enabled device, you are good to go. Smart water heaters work hand in hand with an app (which is free) that can be downloaded online. The app works together with an easy-to-use Wi-Fi system allowing you to interact with your water heater from anywhere on the planet.
Imagine the possibilities! Turn off your smart heater from anywhere, turn it on as you leave your workplace, that way, the water temperature is just right when you arrive at home. This essentially reduces the energy wasted by regular water heaters by more than eighty percent.
The smart water heater is essentially what it advertises. It is smart; smarter than you can possibly think. It boasts of state-of-the-art maintenance features. Smart water heaters can actually tell you when something is wrong with your heating system. The operating system scans every aspect of your heating system and sends an alert to your phone if and when it discovers any fault. One major importance of this is the built-in leak detection. With smart water heaters, your heating system will always be pristine. One errant drop of water and you get a notification. Some smart heaters can even be connected to a plumbing company. That way, issues with the system can be fixed without you so much as lifting a finger.
Human beings are creatures of habit, a fact that was put into great consideration when perfecting the smart technology for smart water heaters. The technology notes the way you use hot water. It learns what time you take your bath in the morning and at what temperatures. This allows it to map out an activity table enabling it to heat water at the right time before you even prompt it. Of course, you can manually input a hot water schedule via the touchscreen interface which some of these devices have.
Smart water heaters can also help you save money. Would you look at that? In some cities around the world, it is no secret that electricity charges differ at different times during the day. That is why some water heaters can essentially work like a thermal battery. This means that it can be programmed to only heat water when electricity is less expensive. These devices can save you hundreds of dollars over the course of a year. Sounds like so much value for your money.
The number of units you would need depends on your home. Depending on how large it is more smart water heaters can be incorporated into your heating system. They can then be controlled singularly albeit by the same device. That way, water for kitchen use can be present at a much higher temperature than the water used in your bathrooms.
This new piece of tech can be used with faucets with low flow. You don’t necessarily have to overhaul your plumbing system. It also works at 50Hz and at 60Hz frequencies making it perfect for most global households. We literally can’t wait to see what technology comes up with next although we just can’t see smart water heaters becoming obsolete. Can you?
