This post is the second in a two part series on water heaters. If you haven’t already read part 1, I recommend you do before continuing.

Within the two types, tank-style and tankless, water heaters can be further characterized by their proximity to the user – either centralized or point of use (POU).

Centralized water heaters

In some densely populated areas or buildings, hot water is piped into individual homes from an outside source. This type of system is more common in Europe than in the US. Generally, when we talk about centralized water heating systems in the US, we mean that a building or apartment has a single, centralized source of hot water – i.e. it only has one water heater.

Point of use water heaters

In a POU system, the water heater is located wherever the hot water is needed. In some European countries, they use this term to distinguish homes with their own water heaters from those on a centralized hot water system. However, there are also POU water heaters that operate on a smaller scale.

With a small scale POU water heater system, you can eliminate the delay between the time you turn on the hot water and the time the water at your faucet actually gets hot. In this type of system, a small tank-style water heater is installed in the sink cabinet. This unit supplies the hot water for long enough so that the hot water from a centralized, high capacity water heater can arrive. This arrangement can save water as well as energy.

POU systems are also used in small or portable applications, or in retrofit jobs where installing hot water plumbing would be impractical or impossible.

Keep that hot water flowing

If you have no hot water, too little hot water, or your water heater is making noises, it’s time for some water heater maintenance or repair. The pros at Polar HVAC will have you back up and running in to time! Thinking it’s time to go tankless? They can do that too – call today.