An water warm system: Discover the power of solar and water

14. April 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: General Tax · Tags: , , , , ,

Heat your water with solar water warm system. Green Technology has come an long way. They are becoming more affordable for the consumer. More people are transferring to green energy to save money and the environment. We need to be more aggressive in switching to alternative energy to move away from foreign oil. Solar heating systems is an good eco-friendly energy to warm your water.


A solar warm system has a solar collector that catches the sunlight. The sunlight goes through the solar glass and hit metal that absorbs the sunlight and converts it into heat waves and the glass is glazed to prevent the heat from escaping like a greenhouse effect. The temperature in these solar panels can be very high.


The heat is then transferred to the water which sits in an insulated storage tank. Solar heater storage tanks are larger than traditional storage tank because we only have so much sunlight so it needs to store more water. On a single family home you will only need 1 to 2 solar collector panels to work efficient.


Solar heater systems are not as expensive as regular solar system with an array of solar panels on the roof. There are guides out there where you can build your own solar heater system under 0 dollars if you are good with your hand if not, residential solar water heater systems cost between 00 and ,500, compared to 0 to 0 for electric and gas heaters.


With savings in electricity or natural gas, solar water heaters pay for themselves within four to eight years. With the tax rebated that the government is offering for using alternative energy you will be saving hundreds from the start. Solar heating are also great for heating pools and spas and they last much longer than conventional water heater.


This technology is a little more expensive to start but you will be saving money in the long run and with the help of the government tax breaks making the purchase make it a little easier. The prices for solar heater systems are steadily coming down with the advancements of technology.

Popular energy savers: solar hot water

22. March 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: General Tax · Tags: , , , ,

Solar power is becoming more popular every day. This alternative energy source helps to save the planet by cutting down on the usage of non-renewable carbon based fuels, and it can save the energy consumer a significant amount of money on their energy bill. Another great benefit of solar power is that, once set up, the installation requires little upkeep, meaning it is pretty much maintenance free.

Solar energy systems generate electricity using the sun’s rays. The energy produced by various solar systems will supply electricity for the main property and any excess can be fed into the national electricity grid, reducing energy shortages.
Tremendous advances were made in solar technology since ‘global warming’ awareness arose and a worldly ‘energy crisis’ hit everyone’s wallet.  People realized that other, more efficient and natural energy sources needed to be developed or enhanced.
One of the most popular solar power applications for residences, businesses or industrial use is solar hot water. This system can not only maintain a comfortable water temperature for swimming pools, but can also provide under-floor heating and space heating/cooling.

Solar water heating systems are generally based on thermal collectors. In addition, the system, which moves heat from the collectors to its point of usage, may require electricity to pump the fluid and a tank or reservoir to store the heat until it is needed.

A solar hot water system is economical and its basics are simple.
• Solar collector panels are installed on top of your roof along with a water storage tank.
• The sun’s energy will warm up the cold water in the collector.
• Once the water reaches a certain temperature, either by a pump or by thermosyphoning, it will be circulated to the storage tank.
• A water cycle is created when hot water leaves the collector and is being replaced by cold water from the bottom of the storage tank.
• Until it is needed, pre-heated water is conveniently stored in the tank.
• Because hot water rises just like air, heated water is taken from the top of the storage tank whenever you take a shower, or turn on your hot water tap.  

To ensure continuous warm water, every hot water system has a backup, which will automatically be activated if the water’s temperature is too low. The support system can consist of a gas booster, gas storage tank, or an electric heater.

Investing in a solar hot water system has many financial advantages. Technology is rapidly advancing, driving the initial set-up price down; while government incentives and tax rebates not only make the switch to green energy more attractive, but also help lower the overall cost. In addition, your electricity bill will be significantly reduced for many years to come.

If you are still not convinced that solar hot water is the right system for you, contact an established solar energy specialist like Solar Flow. Their team of experts will work closely with you and tailor a solution that fits your budget and provides you with eco friendly hot water all year around.

Tankless Water Heaters ? They Save Energy ? Do They Save Water?

21. March 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: General Tax · Tags: , , , , ,

Tankless water heaters are all the rage now. Green is in and tankless heaters are considered greener than storage water heaters. They don’t have standby losses and so they are typically more energy efficient than tank type units. Are they really green?

Tankless Water Heater Savings

The dollar amount of tankless water heater savings is relatively small, and makes the payback iffy over the lifetime of the heater. Tax rebates are substantial though, and with the rebates many more home owners can expect to save enough money to more than pay for the unit. That is if there are no breakdowns.

Tankless units are more complex than storage heaters, and thus are more likely to breakdown and more expensive to repair. A service call or two can wipe out any savings realized by reduced standby losses.

Water Conservation and Saving Water

Tankless water heaters are not water conservation friendly. It takes them up to 20 seconds longer to deliver hot water since they must first heat the water and then deliver it to the fixture. A study done by the Australian government found that tankless water heaters typically take 10 to 20 seconds longer to deliver hot water than a storage type heater.

While you purge the cooled off hot water from the hot water pipes, you are running water down the drain. The longer the wait, the more water gets run down the drain.

Since tankless units require a minimum flow rate the keep the heater turned on of typically 1/2 gallon per minute to 3/4 gallons per minute, you will have to run the hot water at a higher flow than you might normally run it, and mix it with additional cold water to get the temperature where you want it. A trickle of warm water will no longer be an option.

For those people who for one reason or another want to run a small stream of warm water will have to make do with a much larger stream of warm water, again, wasting water.

Tankless water heaters are marketed with slogans like “endless hot water”. Does this sound like a water conservation product? You don’t buy a tankless water heater for saving water.

 

If you have a tankless water heater, and you want to save water, get yourself a hot water demand system pump. Then you will have a green hot water system, one that saves energy and water.

Tankless Water Heaters Need More Love… or At Least More Attention

Because tankless heaters are limited in the gallons per minute that they can heat to a specified temperature, one must consider the inlet temperature when deciding on a size. Too small, and the heater will not be able to meat your peak load demands and the temperature at the fixture will decrease as the flow rate is turned up at the faucet.

Too large of a model, and it will be difficult to adjust the temperature without the heater shutting off. And if you live where the water temperature varies widely from summer to winter, then you may have to change the outlet temperature setting on the heater as the seasons change.

Most gas tankless water heaters need to be plugged into a 110v outlet to power the electronics need to control the unit. Some units use the flowing water to spin a tiny generator powering the controls. Bosch water heaters have such a feature. So most units won’t be able to supply hot water during a power outage.

I have seen a lot of chatter in forums about the need to clean the Bosch units frequently due to that tiny generator…

If you live where temperatures go below freezing you will have a new worry… damaging the heat exchanger. With a storage water heater freezing isn’t going to happen. With a tankless unit you have to protect it from freezing as freezing will destroy the heat exchanger.

Some units come with a little built in heater for freeze protection… so much for eliminating standby losses…

Recirc Pumps and Hot Water Demand Systems

Most tankless water heaters will not work with a traditional hot water recirc pump. Read the warranty. Even so, most circulating pumps won’t pump enough water through the heater to turn it on anyway.

Hot water demand systems are on the other hand ideal for tankless applications. They don’t circulate the hot water, they get your hot water to the fixture without running water down the drain, and they can often get your hot water to the fixture more quickly.

All brands including Rinnai, Takagi, Noritz, Bradford White, Bosch, and Rheem work better when you combine them with a hot water demand system.

Point of Use Water Heaters & Your Plumbing Layout

The most water and energy efficient plumbing layout is to have the heater a close as possible to the end use fixture. This can virtually eliminate the wasted water, and eliminates the need for a pump. Often it is an ideal application for a small electric tankless water heater.

Tankless water heaters can provide you with “endless hot water” and can save you money, but there are other considerations, so choose carefully…

Related Tax Rebate Articles

Solar Water System Is An Efficient And Safe Alternative To A Regular Water Heater

21. March 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: General Tax · Tags: , , , , , , ,

A solar water heating system absorbs thermal heat from the sun and converts it into useable heat that can then be used to supplement hot water heaters and space heaters. By adding an absorption chiller you can also use the system to cool spaces.

There are two types of solar water heating systems. They are either active or passive.

The active system uses an electric pump to circulate fluid through a collector and a passive system does not use a pump. The passive system uses a technique known as thermo siphoning to circulate water.

The solar collector is located on the roof of your home or building. The most common style is a black plate that has small tubes located underneath of it. The sun heats up the water that flows through these tubes and then into the solar water heater storage tank. Often these tanks are connected to an existing standard water heater that is used as a backup or as needed.

These solar systems are non polluting, money saving alternatives that add to the equity of your home. So you can double down and do well for the environment while keeping your wallet green.

Whether you choose to use an active or passive solar water heating system there are various options open to you. There are several systems available on the market and with the guidance of a certified solar technician/installer you should be able to install the solar water heating system that works best for you, your home and your pocketbook.

When pricing out the cost of buying and installing a solar water heating system, remember that whatever the initial cost of a solar water heater, there is the potential to reduce the cost of your water heating bills by 50%-80%. Once installed, your new solar water heating system begins to reap rewards by guarding against future price hikes and energy shortages. After all, there’s no paying for sunlight and sunlight is a dependable, readily available commodity.

Imagine that, a household appliance that provides you with a much needed service, at a lower over all cost.

You’ll still have hot water during blackouts, meaning that while the rest of the town cooled their heels you could be soaking in a nice warm tub of sun heated water. Solar water heaters provide increased water storage capacity making them particularly attractive to multiple person households. In most instances solar water heaters have twice the life span of a conventional water heater which is an outstanding point in our society’s move towards more non disposable goods.

In addition to the savings on your utility bills, a solar water heater can also save you money on your mortgage when building a new home or re-financing a mortgage as well as qualify you for tax rebates. The incentives and rebates offered by individual states and counties vary, so it is well worth your while to take advantage of the wealth of information available to you via solar websites such as ours. Our goal is to provide you with as much current and pertinent solar information as possible, including valuable links and reliable referrals.

Clean all around – solar hot water

28. February 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: General Tax · Tags: , , ,

Lately, there has been a lot of talk around the water cooler about renewable energy sources. This includes technologies based on natural elements, such as wind, the sun, the ocean and thermal energy from the earth itself. Engineers have always been driven to improve windmills, hydroelectric dams, or electricity-producing turbines driven by tidal power, while scientists eagerly research other resourceful and eco-friendly electricity producing possibilities.

Solar energy is probably the most widely used, and most cost-effective, green energy source in the world. Using photovoltaics, sunlight is harnessed and converted into electricity, which can be used immediately, or stored for later. At present, numerous solar energy technologies already exist and are being implemented throughout the entire world.

One of the most popular solar power applications is solar hot water. Many systems are so sophisticated they can, year-round, provide most of the hot water used in homes, and commercial or industrial building. It is also considered one of the most profitable solar technologies found on today’s alternative energy market.

Understanding the basic components of solar hot water is not an overwhelming task. The collectors are generally mounted on the rooftop, where they collect the sun’s heat to warm up the fluid that runs through them. The hot water is then channeled through pipes to a solar storage tank where it is stored until it is needed for warm water, hot tubs, pools and radiant heat. Since the storage tank is well insulated and remains hot at all times, the solar hot water system works even after the sun goes down.

The benefits of a solar hot water system include:
• Free energy from the sun!
• Power bills will be substantially reduced
• Helping the environment and reducing the usage of non-renewable carbon based fuels
• Government tax rebates and incentives when switching from electric water heater to solar ones. Rebates vary in amount depending on the type of system that is being replaced.
• Providing up to 90 % of your hot water needs from the sun.
• Minimal maintenance required
• Suitable everywhere from harsh desert land to cold areas, where solar hot water is also used for snowmelt on sidewalks and driveways
• Affordable prices and financing may be available.

There are several distinct solar hot water systems available to the public. To find out which package suits your hot water consumption needs best, and is the most suited for your location, you should consult a dedicated specialist, such as the Melbourne-based company Solar Flow. They can calculate exactly the size tank and amount of collectors you need, and also know the best installation site on your roof. Indeed, what works for your neighbor, may not be the most efficient solution for you.

Solar and hot water energy systems have come a long way since they were first invented. In recent years, purchase prices have been slashed and the technology has become more advanced. A higher efficiency level means that you will get a quicker payback on your investment. Add government and manufacturer incentives and the fact that you will help stop climate change, and you have all the reasons why you should consider a ‘clean’ switch to solar hot water!

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