02-11-2017, 01:47 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Peter Epperson
Go solar. You won't regret it.
Second that. It will pay for itself. Get the largest hot water tank practical for storing hot water for those stretches we get with no sun. During the winter months adjust the thermostat up so it stores hotter water. During the summer months, back the temp back down (the hotter the water, the quicker your tank ages).
We also kill power to the electric element at the breaker. There is no point to having the electric element click on at 6 am because the tank temp dropped to 119 (or whatever). Your shower will still be plenty hot and there is no reason to use electricity to heat the water if the sun is going to come out in a few hours and do it for you later for free.
Remember the state and federal tax credits are going to pay for most of your solar hot water system and the sun is free. Nobody helps to pay for any other type of hot water heating. The new administration might kill the tax rebates. Get them while you can.