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A standard tank gas, oil, or electric hot
water heater constantly heats water all day, all the time
even when you are away on vacation or sleeping.
A good
portion of your energy bill is spent on hot water heating.
Therefore, it would be more economical find a more efficient
way of heating hot water. What if we only heated the hot
water that we required?
A standard tank gas, oil, or electric hot water heater
constantly heats water all day, all the time even when you
are away on vacation or sleeping. This is known as standby
lose and represents approximately 10% to 20% of a
household's annual water heating cost. The problem however,
is that these systems have been in use and have proven to be
fairly reliable for more than a hundred years. Which makes
it difficult to convince a person to change out their system
with one that has only been around half that time, even if
the new system will reduce their energy bills, conserve
energy, and provide hot water on demand at a more consistent
rate, and a more reliable temperature.
This new system isn’t very new at all. Tankless water
heaters gained popularity in Europe, then Canada, shortly
after World War II. Approximately fifty years ago, they
began to appear in the United States.
Over the years, an increasing number of gas and electric
tankless water heaters have appeared on the market, making
it easier to find a system in a specific price range as well
as size to meet your needs. Another benefit with tankless
water heaters, because they are tankless they require less
space, thus giving you more options as to where they can be
installed.
While many electric tankless hot water heaters can be easily
installed by the homeowner, there are some considerations
such as ensuring that the unit has the proper voltage,
amperage, and its own circuit breakers, as well as an
emergency shutoff valve, it may be best that the
installation be left in the hands of qualified technicians.
Before you toss out your old water tank, however, consider
adding a solar component to your hot water system. Even with
your new tankless system, any free preheated water, which
enters the process, will save you on your energy bills.
There are several solar designs that use insulated storage
tanks similar to the ones used in the old tank water
heaters. In warmer climates where freezing isn't a concern,
direct solar heated water circulating systems can be used
from the collectors to the tank. However, in colder climates
where temperatures do fall to freezing, then a drain back or
heat exchanger type system should be considered.
When integrating a solar design system with your tankless
system, the only expense you will have is the initial
installation cost, the price of routine maintenance, and the
small cost of energy to power the circulation motors if they
are required. The hot water you will be enjoying will be
created from a renewable energy source. By having a solar
design hot water system, you will be giving your tankless
system that extra boost, providing you with very economical
and consistent hot water.
These are several other appropriate technologies, which will
work together with your tankless hot water heater to provide
you with the ultimate in economical hot water.
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