Understand High Efficiency Water Heater Technologies

High Efficiency Water Heaters Provide Hot Water for Less Heating water accounts for approximately 15% of a home’s energy use. High efficiency water heaters use 10 to 50% less energy than standard models, saving homeowners money on their bills. Actual energy savings from high-efficiency water heaters depend on family size, heater location, and the size […]


Increasing Water-Heating System Efficiency

Part 3 of Energy-Efficient Water Heating. Reducing hot-water usage is primarily a matter of common sense and exerting a little extra effort to not be wasteful. Once you have applied a few simple, low-cost measures for reducing hot-water consumption, you may want to consider water-heating system improvements if you wish to further reduce your energy […]


Tankless Coil and Indirect Water Heaters

Part 5 of Selecting a New Water Heater. A home’s space-heating system can also be used to heat water. Two types of water heaters that use this system are tankless coil and indirect. No separate storage tank is needed in the tankless coil water heater because water is heated directly inside the boiler in a […]


Heat Pump Water Heaters

Part 4 of Selecting a New Water Heater. Heat pump water heaters use electricity to move heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly. To heat water for homes, heat pump water heaters work like refrigerators in reverse. Heat pump water heaters can be purchased as integral units with built-in water storage […]


Demand Water Heaters

Part 3 of Selecting a New Water Heater. It is possible to completely eliminate standby heat losses from the tank and reduce energy consumption 20% to 30% with demand (or instantaneous) water heaters, which do not have storage tanks. Cold water travels through a pipe into the unit, and either a gas burner or an […]


Water Heating

Part 5 of Ways to Save Money on Energy at Home. Hot Water Usage (based on national averages) Shower: 37% Clothes washer: 26% Dishwasher: 14% Bath: 12% Sinks: 11% Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. It typically accounts for about 14% of your utility bill. There are four ways to cut […]


What are the maintenance issues and repair costs for a solar thermal system?

Part 7 of Heat Your Water With The Sun. The costs of maintaining your solar thermal system depend on the type of technology you choose and how often temperatures in your area fall below freezing. Properly maintaining your system will keep it running smoothly. Passive systems do not require much maintenance. For active systems, discuss […]


How big should my solar thermal system be, and which features should I look for?

Part 4 of Heat Your Water With The Sun. Some of the answers to questions about system size and features depend on how you plan to use the solar system. Here, you’ll find general information on sizing systems for water heating, swimming pools, and space heating. To locate more specific information, please see Getting help. […]