Most of us don't think too much about the cost of heating water in our home. Electric water hears are inexpensive to purchase, and when a hot water heater goes out homeowners often choose the cheapest replacement. However, an electric water heater accounts for 25% of the energy costs in the average household. In a study conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center, solar water heaters were found to save as much as 50% to 85% annually over the energy costs of electric water heaters. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates recovering the investment on a solar water heater in 4 to 8 years through the resulting savings on energy costs.
Homeowners can also factor in various utility rebates and tax credits to increase their savings. Once your solar water heater has paid for itself, you will have free hot water for the life of the heater and won’t have to worry about fuel or energy cost hikes in future years. If you sell your house in the meantime, you have a good chance of recouping the cost of your solar water heater through the increased market value of your home. Of course there are environmental benefits to operating a solar water heater. You will not add to the pollution created by generating power or burning fuel to heat water for your home. It’s estimated that over 20 years, the electricity needed to power an electric water heater will produce more than 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to the greenhouse effect, and your solar water heater will eliminate those emissions.
The next time you are contemplating life in a nice hot shower, give some thought to how you heat your water and the benefits of solar water heaters.
