[Greenbuilding] Passive Solar and HVR/ERV systems

[Ian Albinson]

This is an interesting suggestion, thanks Bob.

Is your low usage of the tank because you run solar of some sort?
Twice a week in winter seems pretty slim!

I take it an on-demand system wouldn't have the losses you speak of,
even if I choose propane over electric, though I wouldn't mind paying
a little extra for an electricity from a good renewable source.


On Feb 23, 2007, at 10:38 PM, Robert Waldrop wrote:

> We replaced our natural gas water heater with an electric water  
> heater, and had the electrician install an on-off switch on the  
> tank so we could turn it off.  We generally only turn it on once a  
> week in the summer and twice a week in the winter. The standby  
> losses of electric water tanks are low compared with propane or  
> natural gas.  If you can buy green electricity from your utility, I  
> think that is a better choice than going with a demand propane  
> heater.  In the winter our monthly electrical usage (lighting,  
> computers, entertainment, cooking, hot water) runs about 450  
> kilowatt hours/month for our two person household.
>
> Bob Waldrop, Oklahoma City