Solar Water Heaters Shine

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.

Solar Power Basics

You are probably seeing more and more solar panels on homes and businesses as the sustainability movement gathers steam and the government offers more tax incentives for making “green” improvements to properties. If you’ve considered making the switch to solar power, here are some of the benefits.

Solar power obviously comes from the sun, which is a renewable resource. Although not every day is sunny, the sun is not going to stop producing light. Other energy sources require harvesting of fossil fuels or plant or animal matter that will eventually be depleted. Solar power doesn’t emit any greenhouse gases or other pollution, and there is no risk of harming the environment while acquiring the energy from the sun, as opposed to fuels like oil that require dredging and may spill with disastrous results.

Ongoing solar power is free. Once your system is in place, there is no additional cost to power your home or business. Most solar panels are long lasting and require little maintenance. Solar panels are generally a good investment, with varying time-frames for ROI. As interest in solar power grows, a solar power system can add resale value to a home, since lower energy bills are appealing to everyone and “green” improvements are becoming more desirable.

Solar power technology is continually improving, and costs continue to drop. If you aren’t ready to commit to roof panels and the larger expense of powering your whole home with sunlight, you can also opt to power your hot water heater or pool heater with solar power, or use smaller solar power devices for solar “space heating”. www.SolarPower.org is a great place to learn more about solar power and stay up on the latest developments in the industry.

Tomorrow's Guest Tom Hines, APS Arizona on Housetalk!

Housetalk is very excited to have Tom Hines from Arizona Public Service as our guest on Saturday. APS is the largest and longest serving utility in Arizona with over 1 million customers.

Tom & I will be discussing ways to improve your home's energy efficiency. Lower those electric bills and conserve the earth's resources! In addition, there are many rebates from APS and other sources that Tom will discuss during the show.

For a preview click on the following websites: APS Green Choice, Renewable Energy, Solar Power, Energy Analyzer, AC Rebates.

I look forward to talking with you on the show. KKNT960 AM or listen online HERE! Once again, our call-in number is the same as always: 602-508-0960.

Warren