Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (1888PressRelease)
December 20, 2007 - Stanton Homes, a Triangle area custom home builder, today offered a list of local manufacturers and vendors for purchase and installation of tankless and solar water heaters for homeowners and new home buyers interested in finding a way to save energy costs and reduce reliance on electricity or natural gas.
“Heating water takes up to 25% of the energy needed in a home, and, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, is the second largest energy expense in U.S. households,” said Stan Williams, CEO of Stanton Homes.
“If a tankless or solar water heater is bought in 2007, homeowners can get a tax credit up to $300,” he added.
PSNC Energy in North Carolina’s approved vendor, Rinnai, advertises savings up to 70% off a normal water heating bill with a tankless water heater when compared to electric water heaters. Also available locally are the Noritz N-063S, with an advertised flow rate of up to 6.7 gallons per minute and Bosch's AquaStar 2400E NG Model, with a flow rate up to 6.4 gallons per minute.
Solar systems can be used as well, in combination with a traditional water heater.
A direct circulation system, also called open loop, uses pumps which circulate household water through collectors and back into the home. This system is common in warmer climates – in freezing temperatures, the system must be turned off and water removed from the lines. For colder climates, an indirect circulation system, also called closed loop, works well. In this system, pumps circulate a heat transfer fluid, which can’t freeze, through the collectors and into the heat exchanger, which then heats the water that goes into the home.
There are also two types of heaters. Active solar water heaters require an electric pump to move the water from the home to the panels to be heated, then back again. Passive solar water heaters use gravity and temperature to move the water around. While requiring less overall energy and maintenance, this system requires a water tank to be installed either on the roof or in the attic.
FindSolar.com offers a solar energy system cost calculator at http://www.findsolar.com/index.php?page=rightforme, into which potential purchasers can input the state, county and city, type of water heater currently in use, and local power company used. The cost calculator then factors all kinds of details, including state and federal tax credits, to give a total cost after all factors.
Based on an average cost across several varieties and manufacturers, the smallest system with installation and training fees comes to $3500, but after various tax credits, estimated net cost according to FindSolar is about $1600. They estimate this system will provide enough hot water in the local Triangle climate for a family of 4. For a family of 5-6, two solar panels are recommended, and initial cost estimates increase to $5350, or about $3000 after various tax credits.
“You may have heard companies talking about reducing greenhouse gases,” said Williams. “According to FindSolar’s calculations, a two-panel system, providing hot water for 5-6 people, will reduce greenhouse gases by an estimated 57 tons over the 15 year life of the system, or the equivalent of 114,000 less automobile miles. A one-panel system will save an impressive 29 tons and 58,000 automobile miles.”
“Compared to a standard water heater tank cost of about $300-400, it can be expensive up front to switch to a solar or tankless system,” he added. “But if you’re interested in reducing long term energy costs, as well as energy consumption, consider installing one of these systems. And if you’re looking at homes for sale, talk to your local custom builder about incorporating a system into your new home.”
For a list of Raleigh and Triangle vendors for each of these systems, homeowners or buyers can visit http://stantonhomes.com/IndustryArticles.aspx and find an easy, printable PDF document.
*Pricing and availability current as of 12/07. Although the information in this post is presented in good faith and believed to be correct, Stanton Homes makes no representations or warranties as to the completeness or accuracy of the information.
For more information about Raleigh area custom builder Stanton Homes, visit http://www.stantonhomes.com.
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