Fun heater discussion. Kind of amazing the number of terms available to describe a simple function of heating water...
In the US (at least the east coast). If you burn a fuel (gas, oil, propane, wood, coal... whatever) you have a furnace or a boiler. If the output is heated air, it is a furnace, if the output is heated water or steam it is a boiler.
A hot water tank, can be heat pump powered, electric, gas, wood, coal....
A hot water storage tank, has a heat exchanger which is normally connected to a closed loop system which is attached to a boiler.
Tankless hot water, often actually has a small tank, usually just a couple gallons.
I am sure there are more variations. Those are the ones I know off hand.
Tim
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