Zero Is The New Black

Tankless hot water heaters are typically 24% - 34% more energy efficient than storage water heaters.  This is because they are not in full time employment, heating a 40 – 75 gallon vat of water, as is the standard with most homes.  They only kick in and heat the water when the faucet, shower, washing machine or dishwater etc is turned on. So in theory, you should see a significant saving on your utility bills.  But unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case.  In this article I am going to tell you why you are not making a saving and how you can guarantee that you do no matter how large or small your household.

In order to keep up with the flow and water demands, storage water heaters store hot water at a temperature much higher than would be comfortable to use straight from the tank. This wasteful process means, the water is being heated up to a very high temperature, only to be cooled down again so it can be used.  Coupled with the 20% standby energy losses, this is all money you are throwing away.  And on top of that, you are paying to keep the hot water heated in the tank all day long, whether you are using it or not. No wonder you decided to install a tankless water heater.  With its temperature control, no storage tank and only heating the water as and when it’s needed, it’s bound to save you money.  Well, not necessarily.

Cold water must pass all the way through the water heater when it is called.  Which means it will take slightly longer for you to receive your hot water, and you will be running more water down the drain in the meantime. No saving there.

In a single person or couple household, tankless hot water heaters are brilliant ways of saving energy. But if you have children and are not conscious of your water consumption, you may not end up saving much money a tall. People can often spend more on their monthly fuel and water bills because of their families over indulgence in the endless supply of hot water. Also, gas fuelled tankless water heaters can waste energy if the pilot light is constantly being burnt.

So, as you can see, if you are buying a tankless water heater to purely save money, you maybe in for a surprise.  But this doesn’t have to be the case.  There are a couple of ways you can guarantee the savings.

For preserving your energy and financial savings, a tankless hot water heater and solar energy are a match made in heaven.  You can combine one of two or both solar systems.  
The first is to install a solar hot water heater system, which can cost less than $100 when done as a DIY project in your own back garden. This does require a storage tank to hold the water heated naturally by the sun, but the savings you will make by pre-heating the water before it reaches your tankless hot water system will be noticeable.  

It makes sense that if the tankless hot water heater has less to do, it’s going to cost you less and use less energy and the quicker you’ll have hot water running out of your faucets.

The second system is to generate your own free electricity by installing solar panels. Solar panels are straight forward to install, and again, can be done as a DIY project for $200.  Even if you have a gas fuelled tankless water heater.  Installing solar panels to save on your electricity bill will offset the cost of running your tankless gas hot water system.

Powering your home with solar energy can give you a 70% saving on you energy bill.  And any excess electricity you produce, the electricity company is obligated by law to buy it back from you.  So your local electricity company could end up paying you.

Tankless water heaters by themselves may not be the answer to your prayers, but by working with nature’s very own solar power, they can more than meet you needs and expectations.

To find out more about tankless hot water heaters and solar power, all you have to do is Click Here.