Upgrading A Water Heater: Heat Pump, Solar, Or On Demand?

By: Scott Cooney | cleantechnica.com

Image Credit: CleanTechnica.com | Heat Pump Water Heater Diagram, courtesy of Energy Star

The water heater is one of the bigger users of energy in the home, making that old heater you’ve got a great candidate for an upgrade. The question is, upgrade to what? There are solar water heaters that can use zero energy, heat pumps that use a lot less energy than traditional water heaters, and tankless water heaters that create hot water “on demand” only when needed. Each has some benefits and drawbacks. In this article, I’ll dive into the tech, the finances, and the pros and cons of each, so that you can make the best decision.

Traditional Water Heaters

Most water heaters still in use today are either electric resistance (ER) or gas. ER water heaters use electricity to directly heat water. In both cases, water comes out of the ground, aquifer, reservoir, or other municipal water source you have, and is then heated from whatever temperature that is to 120°F or whatever you have your water heater set at. This is just plain silly and very, very inefficient.

Groundwater or water coming out of the bottom of a reservoir can be absolutely frigid. So you’re looking at a delta (change in temp) of as much as 80-90 degrees.

Heat Pump Water Heaters

Heat pump water heaters (HPWH) eliminate a lot of that delta. HPWH do not generate heat directly like ER, instead heat is captured from one of three sources: air-to-air (most commonly known as air source water heaters or ASWH), water source, and geothermal. Heat is absorbed from the source and used to heat the water. It’s basically a refrigerator or AC in reverse.

According to Energy Star, the requirements for HPWH are pretty simple: it needs to be put in a place where the temp stays between 40 and 90 F year round (so, unless you live where it stays in that range, just put the HPWH inside the building), air flow (a room of 100 square feet is sufficient, or, lacking that, a space that can be ducted), needs a drain of some sort (floor, utility sink, sump pump, etc), and clearance (the more people in the home, the bigger the tank will need to be).

Many HPWH have hybrid options, which means that during times of excessive use, they can switch to being a more traditional electric resistance water heater. Heat pump water heaters are 7x more efficient than gas, and 3.5x more efficient than ER.

Consider the Energy Guide listings for equivalent Rheem 45 gallon water heaters:

Image Credit: CleanTechnica.com

Solar Water Heaters

Solar water heaters (SWH) are typically direct heating instruments. Water is pumped through some panels on your roof, which are designed to collect heat from the sun, concentrate it in the pipes through which the water is running, and heat the water up to the desired level (e.g., 120°), then pump it down into your hot water tank. This direct heat eliminates the use of electricity except for the minimal amount needed to pump water around.

What happens at night, or if it’s cloudy? Most solar water heaters have an option to have an electrical backup, so that when it’s cloudy, the backup will heat the water. But the goal is to use the sun as much as possible, so SWH are typically fit with timers to ensure 24-hour access to hot water. In practicality, that means you might have an electrical backup that kicks on in the early AM hours before people wake up, to top off the temp in the tank. Similarly, they might kick on in the evening, between 7-9 PM, to similarly top off the heat for those showering before bed.

The nice part about SWH is that you can choose – if you’re ok with occasionally being out of hot water, you can actually deactivate the electrical backup and just rely entirely on free hot water from the sun.

On Demand Water Heaters

As the name implies, “on demand” water heaters (ODWH) create the hot water only when it’s needed, eliminating the need to store heated water. So when you turn on the hot water valve, the heater kicks on and starts rapidly heating, so that within a few seconds you’ll have hot water coming out of your showerhead. The biggest savings this creates is in the elimination of the need to keep water hot. The tank you have holding hot water is constantly losing heat, even if properly insulated. Thus, a tank water heater (any kind) will continuously need to replenish and/or re-heat the water in the tank. But otherwise, tankless water heaters are not the most efficient at creating hot water.

So Which To Choose When Upgrading Your Water Heater?

Now that you understand the basic tech of your options in water heating, it’s time to decide what to go with. Here are some basic concepts to help you decide.

First, the number of people is important. Heat pumps tend to take a little more time to heat water, so for homes with a lot of folks, they might not be the best option. Typically, 3-4 people using hot water from a heat pump would be the most you’d want to do to ensure completely uninterrupted service. You can get larger tanks, but the heating process is still slower in heat pumps than other water heaters. Solar water heaters can provide for many more people, as they have both the limitless power of the sun and an electrical backup, and can accommodate 120-gallon tanks. ODWH can obviously also do the job for higher numbers of people. The caveat, of course, is that if your HPWH has a hybrid option (as mentioned above, where it can switch to being a pure ER water heater as needs arise), then it will do the job for the amount of water needed, but of course, that will make the energy use profile go up in a corresponding way. So if it’s 3-4 people *usually* in the home, with the occasional guests making it heavier demand for hot water, then HPWH is still the best bet. But if you have 6 people in the home, regularly using hot water, then HPWH likely will not deliver as much savings as a SWH, which, with a large tank, could more readily provide free hot water for 7-8 people.

Second, the use profile is important. If you’re away a lot (i.e., the home is vacant), then an ODWH makes perfect sense. Otherwise, SWH or HPWH are better options. If people primarily use hot water during the day, SWH is likely the best option.

Third, let’s consider the budget. SWH are the most expensive up-front of all the options listed here. They do tend to pay for themselves well over time, especially if the use profile and number of people are well aligned. HPWH are far less expensive, often close to price parity with the ER and gas after local and federal rebates. SWH and HPWH will tend to have rebates available in most places, whereas ODWH typically don’t.

Last, how do you decide how to time your water heater replacement? If your current system is 8+ years old, if it has any leaks, or performance issues (like running out of hot water regularly), it’s time to upgrade. If you’re not sure, check the nameplate on your current water heater, which should say the manufacture date. If the system is newer than 8 years, it’s perhaps not time, but if you’re ready, the rebates are there, and you like the idea of reducing your impact, it may still be a great idea. The return on investment is good in most places, and with rebates/incentives, a HPWH could save enough every month to pay for itself in just a couple of years or less. SWH tend to take a little longer to pay for themselves. If you don’t mind the occasional interruption in hot water service, though, SWH can entirely eliminate the utility cost for water heating.

If you have a gas appliance, and it’s the last gas in your house, changing over asap is the best move. This is for several reasons. One, having gas in your house seems just silly — gas lines can leak and cause indoor air quality problems, as well as cause fire hazards to become more complicated. Gas is primarily obtained via fracking, an entirely unsustainable and chemically intensive process. And gas is most often from fossils, whereas going SWH, HPWH, or ODWH means you can use renewable energy to power your hot water heater. The other bonus of eliminating gas is the hookup fee. Just to have gas coming to your house, your gas utility is charging you anywhere from $10 to $20 per month, before you even get one therm of gas.

This article was cross posted from cleantechnica.com. Original article could be read here.

Original post here: Upgrading A Water Heater: Heat Pump, Solar, Or On Demand?

How to Unclog Your Toilet

Use this step-by-step guide to get your toilet flowing again

Written by Haniya Rae for consumerreports.org

Image Credit: consumerreports.org

We’ve all been there. You go to flush, but instead of water going down, you see it rising up and up and up. . . . You panic: Did I really use that much toilet paper?

Toilet clogs are a pain to deal with anytime, but during the pandemic, they can really make you panic—you can’t afford to have a nonworking toilet, and you may be reluctant to have a plumber in your house. The good news: “Most clogs you can clear yourself,” says Andrew Chandler, lead plumbing technician at Plumbing in Pink in Greenville, S.C. The key, he says, is usually a good plunge.

Below, plumbers offer their advice on how to clear a toilet clog yourself and when you should call a professional. (As for what not to do, don’t use Drano or boiling water.)

If you’re looking to replace your toilet, see below or check the models in our toilet ratings. One of our key tests assesses how well models flush.

We use simulated waste consisting of 160 solid polyethylene balls, seven sponges studded with No. 10 screws for realistic weight, and nonlubricated latex condoms filled with water. The best in our tests flush it all down in one go; the worst clog with the first flush.

How to Unclog a Toilet Step by Step

1. If you drop something in your toilet—say, a child’s toy—try extracting it first. Don’t force it down with a flush. Even if it carries down the pipes, it still has to move around 100 to 200 feet to get to the city’s sewer. “For a lot of people, once the object is out of sight, it’s out of mind,” says Mike DeSilva, a plumber and president of Plumbing Plus in Poway, Calif. “But this can cause problems later. Use a coat hanger or whatever you can to fish it out.”

A note on wipes: Don’t flush them, even if you see “flushable” on the package. Unlike toilet paper, wipes don’t break down easily and may include adhesives that help them stay taut, and that can cause problems down the line. “They’ll go down,” Chandler says. “But they can totally ruin a septic tank and cost you about $5,000 to $10,000 to fix. If you’re on a city sewer, they’re an extra cost to the city to clean up.” The city’s waste treatment workers have to fish out the wipes and take them to a dump. Likewise, don’t flush paper towels or shop towels.

2. If a wad of toilet paper is stuck, reach for the plunger. First, you’ll need to turn off the water to ensure that the toilet doesn’t overflow while you’re working. Just make sure a decent amount of water is in the bowl so that when you free up the stoppage, there’s water to help move the waste down the drain, DeSilva says.

Place the plunger directly over the bowl drain. Slowly push the plunger down so that it compresses, then vigorously and quickly pull the plunger up and then down while trying to maintain a seal between the plunger and the toilet bowl. You should feel some resistance and suction until the stoppage is released. Raise the plunger. If you see the waste and water go down, immediately turn the water back on and start flushing. If not, keep plunging until the stoppage is completely cleared.

3. If a plunger gets you nowhere, try a toilet bowl cleaner. Pour a small amount of liquid cleaner that’s formulated with hydrogen peroxide as a lime and rust remover directly into the toilet bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes to a few hours. Check to see if chemicals in the cleaner have broken down the waste and your toilet bowl has drained, DeSilva says. Flush once the water has gone down.

4. Get an enzyme cleaner. Enzyme cleaners, such as Green Gobbler, are made of a concentrated mixture of bacteria that break down waste in your toilet but won’t hurt the pipes. You can buy them at home improvement stores. They’re ideal for older homes with cast iron pipes because harsh cleaners such as Drano can corrode metals. Once you pour it into the toilet, let it sit for about 24 hours (don’t flush) so that it has time to work. DeSilva suggests pouring an enzyme cleaner down the toilet a few times a month to maintain a healthy system.

5. Call a plumber. “When you can’t unclog a toilet with a plunger or if you notice a mainline stoppage between the house and the street, you need professional help,” Chandler says. Water coming up in other places, such as in a sink or shower, is an indication that there’s backed-up waste farther in the pipes that you can’t see.

Because of the pandemic, when you schedule a visit, ask the plumber if he will wear personal protective equipment when he comes to your house, and whether he cleans his equipment after each service call. Explain the issue on the phone with the plumber in advance; if you need to talk in person, stay at least 6 feet apart, keep the conversation as brief as possible, and make sure you are both wearing masks. Plan to have your family stay in a separate room of the house while the plumber works, and open the windows for airflow.

What Not to Do

Don’t use boiling hot water. Though it could unclog the toilet, you could end up damaging it. “If you start using too much hot water, you’ll heat up your toilet,” DeSilva says. “Your toilet sits on a drain connection with a wax ring. If you heat it up too much, you might melt that seal.” That can result in a leak at the base of the toilet, and you’ll have to remove the toilet entirely to replace the seal underneath.

Don’t pour Drano down your toilet. Drano is a highly corrosive chemical. It can damage pipes, so much so that they can eventually break apart. If they break, you’ll have a much bigger problem than a toilet clog.

NOTE:
This article was written by Haniya Rae for consumerreports.org. Original article can be read here.
For updates, feel free to follow her on Twitter (@haniyarae)

Original post here: How to Unclog Your Toilet

What Does a Tankless Water Heater Cost Over Time?

The information about tankless water heaters and how much they cost can be confusing if you don’t know how to assess these costs. On one hand, you may have heard that the tankless water heater cost is higher than a traditional storage water heater, which is definitely true. However, it is also true that running a tankless style is much cheaper, and that they don’t have to be replaced as frequently. So, when all is said and done, which type of water heater is the cheaper way to go? Let’s look at all the costs over time and find out.

Water Heater Purchase Costs

Right out of the gate, a tankless water heater is going to seem like the more expensive option. The initial purchase price of a tankless model generally runs around $1,000 or $1,200. This is roughly double the cost of a traditional water heater with a tank, which will only run you between $500 and $700, according to Bankrate.

Water Heater Installation Costs

When adding up the initial tankless water heater cost, don’t forget about installation. Gas-heated tankless water heaters need to have a ventilation system installed, which tacks on extra cost. Electric tankless water heaters don’t have this requirement but generally aren’t as powerful, requiring a larger water heater or additional water heaters to provide the same amount of hot water. Gas is generally preferred, therefore, so unless your home is already set up for a tankless water heater, expect to add another $1,000 to $2,000 in installation fees.

Utility Bills

When you start looking at the long-term tankless water heater cost is when things start to get interesting. Now that you’ve sunk all that money into your home’s hot water system, you will start to enjoy lower utility bills: as much as 34 percent lower, according to the US Department of Energy. This means savings of $100 or more per year, depending on how energy efficient your new water heater is. It might not seem like a lot at first, especially compared to the hefty initial costs, but the savings add up over time.

Water Heater Maintenance

A tankless water heater does require a little more maintenance than a traditional storage tank model, as they’ll need to be cleaned occasionally to remove the buildup of water deposits. How often this maintenance is needed depends largely upon how hard or soft the water is in your area. Hard water means more buildup, so your tankless water heater might need to be cleaned once a year if you want to maximize its lifespan. In areas with softer water, you could get away with cleaning it once every few years. As a result, you should plan on spending around $100 or less per year on maintenance, depending on your local water.

Water Heater Replacement

Replacement is where things really get exciting, and when your investment starts to really pay off. The tankless water heater cost may have seemed like a lot initially but remember that you won’t have to pay that again for a long time. Storage tank-style water heaters have to be replaced every 10 to 12 years on average since they are prone to the kind of corrosion that comes from having water sitting around in a metal tank for years on end.

On the other hand, tankless heaters don’t store water, so they can easily last 20 years or more. As a result, someone who bought a storage-tank water heater at the same time as you will have replaced their water heater at least once, and maybe twice more by the time you have to replace yours, as much as tripling their initial costs.

Making a Decision

Ultimately, a tankless water heater will save you money over the long run while helping the environment by wasting less energy, but not everyone will feel comfortable with the initial tankless water heater cost. For more information or to discuss the types of water heaters with a pro, contact your neighborhood plumber today, and one of our experienced plumbing technicians will help you weigh your options and make a decision that’s right for you.

Original post here: What Does a Tankless Water Heater Cost Over Time?

How Long Should My Water Heater Last?

Image Credit: bhiservice.com

Your water heater is one of the most important features of your home. It’s what provides every water fixture in your home with hot water. Without it, you would be left taking cold showers every morning and having no hot water to wash your dishes or clothes. Like everything else in your home, a water heater isn’t designed to last forever. So, just how long should you expect it to last?

The Type of Water Heater You Have Plays a Huge Role

Different types of water heaters have different expected lifespans. Traditional tank-style water heaters are generally expected to last around ten years. Tank water heaters are available as gas or electric. Gas water heaters are seen as more environmentally-friendly, but they have more components that can wear out or break. Electric water heaters can typically last about a year or two longer than gas ones.

There are also what are known as tankless water heaters. These are water heaters that provide you with hot water on demand, rather than keeping a tank filled with hot water ready to go. These types of water heaters have an expected lifespan of about 20 years. They generally last longer because they are not running 24/7 to keep a tank of water hot.

What Affects the Lifespan of Your Water Heater?

While different types of water heaters have various life expectancies, several different factors can cause your water heater to wear out faster or fail. One factor is sediment buildup. This is an issue that affects tank-style water heaters. Over time, sediment can build up at the bottom of the tank and harden. When this happens, the water heater has to work harder to warm the water. As a result, components can begin to wear out more quickly. Periodically cleaning the tank can help to eliminate buildup and preserve the life of your water heater.

Too much water pressure can destroy your water heater. This issue happens when the water’s psi is higher than the specifications on the water heater. This can happen because the water is too hot or because there is too much pressure in the inlet. If extra pressure is not fixed or relieved, it can cause the tank to burst.

Your water heater might not last as long as expected due to its size. The size of the water heater you need depends upon several factors, including how many people you have in your home and how many water fixtures you have. If your water heater is too small to meet the needs of your family, it has to work continuously to provide your home with all of its hot water needs. When it works all of the time, there’s a much higher chance that it will wear out faster.

Signs You Should Replace Your Water Heater

So, how do you know that it’s time to replace your water heater? Its age is one good indication. If you have a tank style water heater that’s approaching ten years old or is over ten years old, it’s a good time to start looking into a new one. Age isn’t the only indication, though. You might need to consider replacing your water heater if you notice strange noises coming from the unit, your water is tinted or rusty, or you find water pooling around your water heater. You may also want to start considering a new water heater if your current one isn’t giving you the hot water you need anymore.

Final Thoughts

If your water heater is at the end of its life, it’s an excellent time to consider getting a replacement. With so many options, though, it can be hard to choose what’s best for your home. Contact your plumbing expert to discuss your options so that you can find a new water heater that suits the needs of our family.

A Word From W Smith Plumbing

If you are not sure where to start or just need to have a few questions so you can make an educated decision about what would be the best water heater for your family contact experienced water heater plumbers of W Smith Plumbing at (904) 669-2514 or fill out our free quote request form on this page.

Note: This article was written by Billy Henley of BHI Plumbing serving Corona, CA and was originally posted on bhiservice.com. To read original post click here.

Original post here: How Long Should My Water Heater Last?

Lower Your Electric Bill With Your Water Heater

Lower Your Electric Bill With Water Heater

Image Credit: arcadia.com

Want to lower your electric bill? Start with your water heater!

The average home in the United States uses a lot of energy (10,972 kWh per year on average, to be exact). As a result, American homeowners spend $1,411 on energy and emit about five tons of carbon every year.

Anyone who cares about saving money or cutting their carbon footprint would be smart to look for ways to cut their home’s energy usage. And while it doesn’t sound glamorous, one of the best ways to do that is to replace your hot water heater.

If our water heaters were a country, their total emissions would be responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than Belgium.

Why American hot water heaters use so much energy

Almost every American home has either a conventional gas or an electric hot water heater. Even though the first hot water heaters were invented more than 100 years ago, the design of the hot water heater in your laundry room or basement isn’t much different than the first models designed back in the late 1800s.

They work in a pretty straightforward way. Electricity or gas heats up a big metal tank full of water and then pumps it throughout your home. But here’s the problem: these water heaters have no way to predict when you’ll need hot water, so they heat water at every hour of the day. That means that even if you’re on vacation or asleep, your hot water heater is heating water.

As a result, the average American family spends $600 per year and emits about a ton of CO2 to heat up water that for the most part they won’t use. In fact, if our water heaters were a country, their total emissions would be responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire nation of Belgium.But, unlike many other environmental problems, the solution to this one is remarkably easy. And if you’re a homeowner, it’s largely in your control.

How other countries heat their water

If you’ve ever traveled to Europe, you may have noticed that their hot water heaters look different than the one in your house. Most European homes use tankless water heaters. They’re similar to conventional tanks in that they use electricity or gas to heat water, but instead of heating it at all hours of the day, they only heat it on-demand.

Unsurprisingly, these water heaters are a lot more efficient than conventional tanks. According to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), tankless models have about half the carbon footprint of conventional tanks.

Tankless water heaters are available in America. And compared to conventional tanks, they’re a lot better. But there’s an even more efficient option that’s become available in the last decade, and in many states the government will pay you as much as $750 to install it.

How heat pump (hybrid) water heaters work

For homeowners in America, the best bang for your energy-efficiency buck is the heat pump water heater (sometimes called a hybrid water heater).

Heat pump water heaters pull heat from the surrounding air to heat water, rather than relying on electricity or gas. In other words, they move energy instead of generating it. As researchers at the Department of Energy put it, “Heat pumps work like a refrigerator in reverse. While a refrigerator pulls heat from inside a box and dumps it into the surrounding room, a stand-alone air-source heat pump water heater pulls heat from the surrounding air and dumps it — at a higher temperature — into a tank to heat water.”

Today, most heat pump water heaters also include a back-up electric resistance heater in case the surrounding air temperature isn’t warm enough to use. That’s why they’re called hybrid heat pumps.

How hybrid water heaters cut costs and emissions

With the exception of solar water heaters (which cost between $3,000 and $10,000 in the US), heat pumps are the most energy-efficient water heaters available. That makes them the most eco-friendly, too. Their carbon footprint can be anywhere from two to four times lower than a conventional tank’s. That’s why environmental groups like the NRDC and the Rocky Mountain Institute love them.

Because heat pumps are so important to curbing climate change, the government will foot part of the bill. The federal government will give you a $300 tax credit for buying a heat pump. Some states, like Maine, will give you a $750 instant rebate. And many of the biggest utilities will give you a $500 rebate. Visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency to find which rebates and incentives you qualify for.

Even without incentives, the best heat pump on the market will save the average family $4,800 over 10 years and cut their carbon footprint by four tons (the equivalent of going vegan for two years or cutting back on four international flights).

Anyone familiar with climate change knows that there are a lot of tricky problems to solve. We need to invent electric planes and cargo ships and figure out a way to make things like steel and aluminum with a lot less electricity. But some of the solutions — whether it’s switching your home’s power source to renewables or replacing your inefficient water heater — are a lot easier. And considering American homes emit as much carbon as most industrialized countries, those solutions can make a big difference.

NOTE: This article was written by Michael Thomas for the Blog at arcadia.com. Original article can be read here. Michael Thomas is the founder of Carbon Switch, a social enterprise that helps homeowners reduce their emissions and save money. His work has been featured in magazines like The Atlantic, FastCompany, and Quartz.

From W Smith Plumbing

If you are thinking about water heater replacement or new water heater installation in St. Augustine, FL then you really should consider getting a free water heater quote from W Smith Plumbing. Our plumbing technicians are very well versed in any water heater service you might need including water heater repair. Call our local office at (904) 669-2514 and schedule your free quote today. You can also fill out our request form on this page or visit our Water Heater Service page.

Original post here: Lower Your Electric Bill With Your Water Heater

How to Make the Switch: Gas vs Electric Water Heater

How to Make the Switch: Gas vs Electric Water Heater Image Credit: dayandnightair.com Most of us take hot water for granted. You probably don’t think twice about how you get hot water when you take a shower or wash your hands – until the hot water doesn’t come out of the faucet. When your water Read More

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Tank vs. Tankless: Choosing the Right Water Heater

Tank vs. Tankless: Choosing the Right Water Heater Image Source: Contractormag.com Three questions to help determine the best water heater for your customers. No two families are the same, so their home’s water heater selection shouldn’t have to be either. Water heaters are far from one-size-fits-all and contractors can deliver value for each individual customer Read More

NOTE: Tank vs. Tankless: Choosing the Right Water Heater was reposted from www.WSmithPlumbing.com
Read original article: https://www.wsmithplumbing.com/tank-vs-tankless-choosing-the-right-water-heater/

The Pros and Cons of a Tankless Water Heater

The Pros & Cons of a Tankless Water Heater Your alarm went off late. Your spouse and the kids are up, and they’ve already showered. You’re the last one. You turn on the faucet and wait for it to heat up. And wait. And wait some more. There’s no hot water. Your morning isn’t off Read More

NOTE: The Pros and Cons of a Tankless Water Heater was reposted from www.WSmithPlumbing.com
Read original article: https://www.wsmithplumbing.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-a-tankless-water-heater/