[Greenbuilding] Water heaters( Marathon or standard electric)

[Frank M Flynn]

Why not go solar for your hot water?  Especially if your still planning
and you'll be building it - where you have control over the design and can
make implementation easy.

Tankless can trump hot water tank but solar hot water trumps both (* with
the disclaimer  that you might still need a small tankless assist - or an
electric boost inside your solar hot water storage tank for those very
cold and dark cloudy days).  Still the assist system can be much smaller
(and cheaper) than without solar.

While solar electric of a decent size for a normal home here in the US can
cost $20 - $30k and take decades to pay back - a solar hot water system
will cost you one tenth and take only a few years to repay the investment.

A quick web search shows complete systems for $2 - $3k, installation would
be easier since you don't have to retrofit anything and have construction
staff there.
(not an endorsement - but I like their web site)
  <http://store.altenergystore.com/Solar-Hot-Water/Aet/AET-Indirect-Closed-Loops-System-Kits/AET-AC-Powered-Solar-Heating-Kits/Drainback-System/c424/>

There are several choices and you can do more than just heat your hot
water with this heat.  I think a local expert will be quite useful.  Just
a few of the questions would be:
-does it freeze there (ever, rarely, often)?
-do you want to heat other things too (pool, spa, house)?
-are you on or off the grid?  (typically these have small electric pumps)
-number of people in the home?

There may also be tax credits in your area for installing such a system.

Good luck,
Frank

On Jan 13, 2007, at 6:59 PM, Tom Wiprud wrote:

>I plan on building a new house soon.  I received the coop newsletter.  They
>had the 105 gallon Marathon, R25  leakproof  water heater for about $850.
>
>   My question is, would this be a good investment at $850, or would I be
>better off  buying standard electric water heaters,(2 water heaters, 50
>gallons each) and insulating them inside a box, and figure on replacing them
>in 10 years?   What are your opinions or suggestions?    Thanks    Tom
>
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