[Greenbuilding] Hot Water Heater options

[Reuben Deumling]

keep the heater you have and add heat trap/antisiphon loops to the flex
lines at the top, and where possible insulate pipes if they aren't already.
You could also add an insulation blanket to the heater.
Cost: almost negligible
Additional materials required: almost negligible
Gas use: if you're lucky, slightly lower than in past.

All other options listed by Keith (insofar as they are commercially
available technologies) are in my opinion quite spendy once you've paid
someone to install them, and, again in my opinion, the gas savings over what
you already have or can achieve with the above measures aren't going to be
all that impressive. The biggest "savings" could come from the use patterns
of hot water your occupants have or are willing to learn.

When it comes to fuel use for domestic water heating we're unfortunately
mostly guessing because it is both uncommon and a bit involved to submeter
gas/electricity and hot water use in a residence. I've done a bunch of this
on my own in households of friends and relatives who've allowed it. Anyone
else who has done this, I'd be very curious to learn of your results.

Reuben Deumling



On 10/2/06, Bambi Tran <doingitgreen at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> I'm trying to figure out the energy-efficient, and life-cycle
> cost-effective hot water heating option for the following affordable rehab
> project... please advise!
>
>   -- 1000 sf rowhouse in Washington, DC
>   -- 3-4 people
>   -- 1 full bath, 1 half bath, laundry (washer/dryer), kitchen with
> dishwasher and sink... all within 20 feet of each other
>   -- available utilities: gas, electric
>   -- mechanical room in unfinished cellar
>   -- current water heater is an old (1980s), 40 gal, gas water heater
>
>   Cheers,
>   Bambi Tran
>
>
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