In a hot water storage tank heater, energy is required to heat the water in the storage tank and to keep it hot. In both storage and tankless heaters, the basic efficiencies of initially heating the water are very similar; in fact, the energy consumptions are very similar at this point. This is because the amount of energy required to heat a fixed amount of water is determined by a simple formula as follows:
Flow rate of water in any unit (e.g. gallons per minute) x a constant – called specific heat x the number of degrees the water must be heated by …. Interpreting this in simple terms, it means if you double the flow and want to keep the temperature the same, you must double the energy supplied be it in the form of electricity or gas or any other energy type.
However, here is where the difference in overall energy efficiency exists… a feature of tankless water heaters is that no energy is consumed in overcoming the standby losses or conventional heat losses commonly encountered in a storage water heater tank. To reduce these losses, tank storage water heaters should always be well insulated … insulation does not prevent the heat loss completely but reduces the rate of energy or heat loss dramatically. In most cases, one and a half inches of foam insulation is good.
Important questions for the energy conscious consumer are: “How much energy is lost during standby?” and, of course, the really important question: “How much are the hot water storage tank energy standby losses going to cost me?” The ability to compare cost and energy savings between the alternative tankless and hot water storage tank systems or features is important
To be able to make these feature comparisons meaningful and to understand this site better it is important to define a few terms:
- Energy Factor: every tankless or storage tank heater must be provided with a certified Energy Factor. This factor, in simple terms, means that if the Energy Factor is high then the annual cost of power to run the tankless hot water heater or the storage heater will be lower than it would be for a low rated Energy Factor. Gas tankless water heaters Energy Factors typically range from 0.64 to 0.82.
- First Hour Rating: this number refers to the amount of hot water the heater can supply per hour … if a storage tank system is in use, the assumption is that the tank is full of hot water at the start of the first hour.
- Heating Energy: the energy required just to heat the hot water.
- Standby Energy: the energy that will be lost based upon a tank full of hot water just standing there unused and, in this state, it will lose some heat depending upon how well insulated the system’s storage tank is. The water will, thus, cool down and more energy will then be required to bring the temperature back to that required point. The average U.S. home will use a 40 gallon gas-fired hot water storage heater. Refer to the GAMA (Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association) guide. These hot water heaters will have Energy Factors ranging from 0.54 to 0.64.
- Average Gas Energy Cost: it is assumed that the national U.S. average fuel cost of 0.6 $/therm will be used.
- Electricity Energy Cost: it is assumed that the average national cost is $0.06 per kilowatt Hour.
- Hot Water usage rate: this can vary a great deal based upon the number of family members and the time of day. The correct heater should be designed on the basis of maximum hot water heating load. In other words, what amount of hot water is required at the busiest time of day.
Features and Benefits of a Tankless Water Heater
- Water heating accounts for 20% or more of an average household’s annual energy expenditures. The yearly operating costs for conventional gas or electric storage tank water heaters in the USA average $200 or $450, respectively.
- One way to reduce this expenditure is to use an on-demand, also called Tankless, instant or instantaneous hot water heater. On-demand water heaters are common in Japan and Europe. They began appearing in the United States about 25 years ago.
- Unlike “conventional” storage tank water heaters, a feature of Tankless water heaters is that they heat water only as it is used, or on-demand, which means as soon as the tap is opened the heater starts up. To be able to heat the water quickly on-demand, the heat rating of these Tankless heaters is very high.
- Once activated, the heater delivers a constant supply of hot water, in most cases, unless too much hot water is demanded in which case the unit may reduce the temperature or flow rate or both… remember, the heater can only deliver a designated amount of energy.
- They come in a variety of sizes for different applications, such as a whole-house water heater, a hot water source for a remote bathroom or hot tub, or as a boiler to provide hot water for a home heating system.
They can also be used as a booster for dishwashers, washing machines, and a solar or wood-fired domestic hot water system. You may install an on-demand water heater centrally or at the point of use, depending on the amount of hot water required. For example, you can use a small electric unit as a booster for a remote bathroom or laundry. - Using low-flow shower heads and water-conserving faucets is a good idea with on-demand water heaters. On-demand water heaters cost more than conventional storage tank-type units.
- The appeal of on-demand water heaters is not only the elimination of the tank standby losses and the resulting lower operating costs, but also the fact that the heater delivers hot water continuously.
- Most tankless models have a life expectancy of more than 20 years. Storage tank water heaters last only 10 to 15 years. Most tankless models have easily replaceable parts that can extend their life by many years.
In today's economy everyone is looking for ways to save money on utility bills, All Quality Heating and Air is offering a highly efficient, inexpensive and practical solution that will help you reduce your energy costs as well reducing your health risks by limiting the amount of allergenic particles coming from your attic.
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We also occasionally change out perfectly good air conditioning units, which are currently working for upgraded models for many customers. If you are interested in a used unit, please let us know. Many of the used units still have some remaining factory warranty on them, and some even have extended warranties still in effect and others do not. We will warranty the installation for 90 days, but not on air conditioning equipment itself that no longer carries a factory warranty on it. As a rule of thumb, air conditioning equipment that is properly maintained may last 10-15 years or longer, depending on the quality of the unit, the model and manufacturer.
It is important to note however, that air conditioning equipment which is older than 10 years old, will become energy inefficient. Although it may be working and functioning properly, it will cost you significantly more to operate fully functional outdated equipment than if you purchased a newer model.
Whenever you turn on a hot water faucet or have a hot shower, heated water is drawn from the top of the tank and is replaced by cold water that is carried to the bottom through the dip tube. When the water temperature drops, a thermostat activates a heat source – either a burner in a gas model or two heating elements in an electric model. A gas heater has a flue running up the center and out the top to vent deadly gasses. An electric heater needs no venting. In both, an anti-corrosion anode attracts corrosion that would otherwise attack the tank’s walls.
A “Fungus Among Us Mold” is produced by several varieties of fungus. These single-celled organisms have been around since the beginning of time. In recent years, medical authorities have realized what a great health risk they can be. Mold can cause fatigue, nausea, headaches, and respiratory and eye irritation. In recent years, attorneys have been able to persuade juries to award tens of millions of dollars in damages related to mold-infested homes. And, that has caused insurance companies to limit or completely drop mold coverage from their homeowner’s policies. So, whether they are mold-allergic or not themselves, prospective home buyers avoid mold-infested homes like the plague!
What is a carbon footprint?
January 19th, 2010
A carbon footprint is the total of all greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product. Some greenhouse gases occur naturally, others are caused by human activity. The two major greenhouse gases are water vapor and carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gases trap the heat of the sun in the Earth’s atmosphere. Some believe that collectively humans are producing enough greenhouse gases to have an effect on the earth’s climate by causing global warming. Others believe that man’s activities do produce greenhouse gases, but in such relatively small quantities that we don’t affect the earth’s climate or cause global warming.
How big is your carbon footprint?
You can calculate your carbon footprint by adding up all of the greenhouse gas emissions emitted into the air from activities you do every day such as drive a car, heat or cool your home, heat or cool water or throw away trash that goes into a landfill. Depending on where you live, you may be buying electricity from a company that emits greenhouse gases because it generates electricity from burning fossil fuels—such as coal, oil and natural gas. Fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy.
Is it important to know your carbon footprint?
The main reason to know your carbon footprint is to be aware of how much your activity affects the earth’s atmosphere. As of now, there is no proof that human activity does or does not cause global warming. However, there are enough people that do believe humans cause global warming that they are asking our government to find alternative fuels and to tax individuals and companies based on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we produce each year. This carbon tax will be used to help the government pay for developing renewable fuels that will offset these carbon footprints and therefore stop or reverse global warming.
Voluntarily reducing your carbon footprint.
There are people who want to voluntarily do what they can to reduce their emissions as well as do activities that will offset their emissions. There are many things we can do on a voluntary basis that will reduce our emissions. Small changes at home can make big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Using Energy Star products is one way. Contact us now to find out more about the Energy Star products we offer or other suggestions we have to reduce your energy costs.
