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In this article I will cover energy efficient water heaters. We will not talk about the energy efficient tankless water heaters because they are covered in detail in a previous article. Go to our web site to see it.

Energy efficiency is a hot topic right now and new technologies are being introduced everyday. We recommend that you do not wait until you need a new water heater to do your research. You may find yourself buying what ever is available, instead of what is best! This is not a good plan since your hot water heater is the biggest waste of your energy costs. So do your research now, and double check it just when you are ready to purchase.

Consumers have a tendency to purchase their heater based on size. Actually the First Hour Rating (FHR) is more important to consider. The FHR represents the amount of hot water that the unit will deliver during a busy hour. Estimate your family’s usage during the peak hour usage and find a unit with a FHR that will cover it.

The most energy efficient water heaters are generally gas fired. Electric resistance is an expensive way to generate heat and not as environmentally friendly. Before you make the final decision, check with your utility company to see if they have any incentives that may make electricity more attractive.

Besides the standard gas and electric energy efficient water heaters there is the indirect water heater. This type is only for consumers who have a boiler. It uses your boiler as its heat source. This type of system eliminates a lot of the heat loss through the flue, as associated with the gas fired heaters.

The next type is a heat pump water heater or desuperheater.  With this type the electric is used to move the heat from one place to another instead of actually creating it. The heat source comes from the heat in the outside air or the area where the unit is located. This type is not very common and harder to find.

Solar water heaters use the sun to heat your water. They are very expensive and hard to calculate the cost because there are so many factors that affect it. These would include the amount of sun, where you live, which way your roof is facing and the amount of hot water that you use. If everything is right though they offer a virtually cost free hot water from a renewable energy. Seems like solar power was hot, then cold and now it seems to be making a comeback. There seem to be many opinions out there for and against solar power. The drawback is that you must have some type of backup system for when there is no sun.

So the bottom line is that this is a very big decision. Make sure that you use every available resource to do your research before you spend your hard earned money. If you make a mistake, you will be paying for it for a long time!

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Seems like there are many reasons for liking energy efficient tankless hot water heaters! I will review the pros and cons, but you will have to make the final decision as to whether or not they’re for you.

Mostly they have a longer life expectancy, save money, save energy, take less space, and have an endless supply of hot water.

First there is the life expectancy. Make sure that you consider this when you’re doing your calculations. The life span for a regular hot water tank type heater will probably be in the 10 – 12 year range. Of course there are factors that will change that, such as the quality of your water. The life expectancy of a energy efficient tankless water heater will be closer to the 20 year range. And I did find some with a limited lifetime warranty.

There seem to be a lot of numbers floating around as to the amount of savings. The energy efficient tankless water heater could be as much as 40% more energy efficient, depending on who you believe and your personal use habits. The standard water heater keeps water at a constant temperature and is forever reheating the water. The tankless, also known as “on demand” type of water heater only heats water when it is needed. Consider the savings if you went on vacation or even if you did not normally use hot water for many hours.

The space savings is an additional benefit. Because they’re mounted on the wall, they do not use any floor space, plus they can be mounted closer to where the hot water is needed. This gives you a lot more flexibility when choosing a location. You may also want to consider having more than just one. For example, if you had a far away area with minimal use, you could use a smaller unit. This would take some of the burden off of the main unit, and put the water closer to where it is needed.

The endless supply of hot water is a big benefit for larger families. There’s nothing worse than being the person in the shower when the hot water runs out! And naturally it seems like forever before there’s hot water again.

There may also be a federal tax credit of $300. The unit would have to have an efficiency rating of .80 minimum to qualify. All units will not qualify.

You can also check to find out if you are eligible for any state or local incentives or rebates. Go to www.dsireusa.org to find out.

This sounds great. But are there any drawbacks?

First there is your ground water temperature. If your ground water is very cold, because you live in the north, it may take a much bigger unit to do the job. The colder water restricts the flow rate.

Some water heaters need a large venting system. This may make it hard to deal with if you are installing in a preexisting home or business. They are better suited to new construction.

There have been complaints of the time it takes to get hot water to the point of use. I am not sure about your situation, but the only way that I get instant hot water is if it has been used very recently. So I have to wait anyway.

This may not be a do it yourself job. Some water heaters will require licensed installers to keep the warranty in tact.

Only you can decide if energy efficient tankless water heaters are best for you. You should contact an installer. He should have a lot of questions about your use, location, ground water temperature, and what you are paying now. He should be able to go over his calculations with you and show you how he arrived at his conclusions.

Just remember that they are trying to sell units. Be sure that you are satisfied with the company and the numbers. It would probably be better for you if they sold both types. That way you could see the difference between a newer conventional water heater and the new energy efficient tankless water heaters!

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Energy efficiency is something of a buzz word at the moment, particularly with the growing concern in scientific and academic circles around global warming and the irreversible changes occurring to the world in which we live. For many people, global warming might seem like something that is too distant, and something that one single person can have very little impact upon in their daily lives. However, few people realise that if we all adopt the attitude of making some minor changes in our lives, we can all save the planet, whilst saving ourselves money.

Pond heaters are no exception to this rule. Whatever the size and nature of your pond, it is often important to ensure you have adequate heating in place to protect your pond life and prevent your pond from freezing through in the winter and early spring, but many people feel upset about the potential cost implications of this necessary part of pond ownership. Let’s face it, if you’ve got a pond heater you’re going to increase your energy costs on a monthly basis. Yet it need not be as clear cut as that – there are ways in which you can make sure you save money on your heater without sacrificing the wellbeing of your pond.

If your pond needs to be heated for the benefit of your pond life, make sure you have a contingency source of heat in the event of a mechanical failure with your main unit. Too many people neglect to think about the potential for problems with their pond heater, particularly during the colder winter months, and investing now in an energy efficient unit as a backup may be a wise move for anyone who cares about the health and wellbeing of his pond.

More and more pond owners nationwide are falling for the benefits of energy efficient pond heaters, as their main source of heat or alternatively as a back up source in the event of an emergency situation. One of the best things about energy efficient heating is that it proactively saves you money, leaving you better off at the end of each billing cycle. As compared to standard heating units, and the energy they consume, the greater the efficiency, the less energy your backup unit will require. Ultimately that means that you could be saving a significant amount on your energy bill on an ongoing basis, whilst also doing your bit for the environment.

On a grander scale, energy efficient pond heaters as the name would imply require less energy to power them along, which means less electricity to be produced by polluting power stations, which is generally a good thing for the environment. At the same time, you’ll directly feel the benefits on a reduced energy bill every month, creating an effective win/win situation. On that basis, it seems crazy not make the investment in energy efficient pond heating units sooner rather than later, with a view to helping your fish, the environment and your wallet.

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Save Money

Pond heaters can be expensive to run. Depending on the type of heater you own, the size of your pond and the length of time you have to run it on a yearly basis, your pond can end up costing a small fortune on top of your regular energy bill. Particularly with energy prices set to continue to rise over the next few years, it makes sense to make the switch now and to opt for energy efficient heating units which require less energy to produce the same effect and consequently allow the pond owner to save money on a recurring basis.

Save The Planet

After a couple of centuries of pollution and exploitation, we’ve finally started to twig that our environment is suffering. One of the ways in which you can make a real difference is by buying and installing an energy efficient pond heater in place of your current model. Not only will it save you money in terms of the energy cost savings that will naturally occur through using less power, but you’ll also help out the overall conservation effort by using less energy, which has the knock on effect of meaning more efficient production at power stations, which are a major source of pollution and consequently global warming.

Backup Source of Heat

Heating your pond isn’t usually optional – if you’ve got fish, chances are they’ll need some heat to survive throughout the year. Most pond owners make the critical mistake of buying just one pond heater in the hope that that will be sufficient to tide them over. Rarely do they consider the need for heat in the event that their pond heater breaks down, or in some emergency circumstance. For that reason, it can often be a wise decision to opt for a backup heater – a job energy efficient pond heaters tend to do quite well. Think about it – you wouldn’t risk your family with just one smoke alarm, would you?

Low Maintenance

Modern, energy efficient pond heaters tend to be of a new generation of design. As well as encompassing beneficial optimum energy features, they also tend to require less in the way of maintenance, and seldom break down off their own accord, as compared to more traditional units which seem to fail far more regularly as a result of inherent design flaws, or simply age in some cases.

As if you need any more convincing, energy efficient pond heaters tend also, now, to verge on the cheaper side of the table, with other bulkier units actually more pricey. If you’re considering buying a pond heater any time soon, make sure you weigh up your options regarding energy efficient models and the benefits they can bring to your pond and the environment, as well as the cost savings they can bring.

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