Tankless Hot Water Heaters

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

I know that the life expectancy of my hot water heater has passed, and so I decided to look into Tankless Hot Water Heaters. Below are some of my findings.

Tankless water heaters cost more to purchase ($800-$1250), and cost more to install (average installation according to Consumer Reports is around $1250). Many models have a life expectancy of around 20 years. It is estimated that the savings is in the neighborhood of $70-$80 per year, which means it could take up to 22 years to break even. There are often rebates or incentives which would improve this return on investment. Doing an online search, I’ve read that some of these units are more favorable than others, so do your homework.

Regular hot water heater tanks cost between $300- $500 to purchase for mid range models, and cost about $300 for installation. They don’t usually require much maintenance with the exception of running the overflow valve monthly to help eliminate sludge. This may vary according to the quality of water in your area.

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Wind Powered Energy

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Wind as a source of energy sounds like a good thing, but there still seems to be some controversy. Like most things, it is important to look at a larger picture.

Location is very important for some obvious and not so obvious reasons. The obvious would be that there needs to be a substantial amount of unobstructed wind, and they need to be up high to catch the most amount of air. They should not be too close to populated areas, due to the vibrational reaction as well as noise (similar to a 10 mph wind). Many claim they suffer from headaches and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Some say that sleepiness is increased from the ‘white noise’ they produce.

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Energy Saving Window Film and Tax Credits

Monday, March 8th, 2010

I am excited to see that window films with energy saving properties are gaining in popularity. While tax credits always sound good, they can be tricky. They are only available in certain areas, I am told, and only for certain types of window films. It seems that windows with metal framing simply do not qualify.

As the power companies become more involved with the public in saving energy, we will likely see more incentives from them.

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