What’s the difference?

At Burt’s Reliable, we know our stuff. We’ve been heating (and cooling) the North Fork and East End since 1917. We’re tried and true. Since our founding, we’ve become one of Eastern Long Island’s leading fuel and service providers. So let us give you a short introduction to water heaters and the difference between indirect-fired heat and direct-fired heat.

Water heaters are workhorses

When everything is going well, not too many people think much about their water heater. But your water heater is working hard for your household. It’s a real workhorse. Your water heater helps keep you and your family comfortable by providing you with hot water for showers and baths, washing dishes, doing laundry, and washing your hands (something we’re all doing more these days—especially now that it’s flu season). In fact, heating water represents about 20% of your home’s energy costs.

An intro to water heaters

Direct-fired water heaters: This is how a conventional direct-fired water heater with a tank works. Oil gets burned in a combustion chamber under the tank. The heated flue gases then heat the water in the tank. The tank is equipped with insulated walls to help retain the heat. The water heater turns on automatically from time to time in order to keep the water in the tank at a predetermined temperature.

Indirect-fired water heaters: Indirect-fired water heaters work in conjunction with a boiler. The water heater receives hot water from the boiler. As the boiler generates hot water to heat the home, it’s also heating water for use in the home. No additional energy is needed to heat the water.

We’re water heater experts

Burt’s Reliable sells a variety of energy-efficient water heaters from leading manufacturers—both direct and indirect water heaters. If you’re in the market for a new water heater, we’ll help you choose the best one to fit your family’s needs and budget.

Once you’ve chosen your new water heater, Burt’s Reliable can also handle the installation. With minimal disruption to you, one of our service technicians will install your new unit. We will also remove the old unit from your Long Island home at no additional cost to you. That’s right, for free!

After installation, Burt’s Reliable will be there for the life of your water heater. We’re a certified plumbing contractor, so we can take care of all your plumbing and water-related needs. We’ll also keep your new water heater in tip top shape by providing expert maintenance and repairs.

You can get a free estimate today. Contact Burt’s Reliable, and we’ll get to work for you!