Save $$$ With Tankless Water Heaters

Hot water heating accounts for about 20% (or more) of the average North American household's annual energy costs. With energy prices rising day by day it is becoming important to take a closer look at where the money is going.

The average yearly cost for a conventional gas or electric storage hot water heater is approximately $500 for a 1300sq.ft. 4 member family home. It lowers or increases depending on how many people live in the house and on their particular water usage habits.

Conventional hot water heaters store water and maintain the water temperature to the temperature setting on the tank - usually between 120? and 140? F. That means keeping water hot even when you do not need it - while you are at work; while you are sleeping; while you are away on holidays.

These "standby" losses represent 15% to 25% of a household's annual water heating costs.

Another thing that annoys all of us, is waiting for the water to heat up because someone took a bath before us. The storage tank water heaters only have a limited amount of hot water. After that is gone you have to wait for the tank to get heated again.

Throughout the rest of the world, where energy costs have consistently been higher than in North America, different methods of heating water are common.

Enter Tankless Hot Water Heaters. They began appearing in the United States and Canada about 25 years ago but have been used in Europe for the last 50 years.

Unlike "conventional" tank water heaters, tankless water heaters heat water only as it is used, or "on demand". Opening a hot water faucet ignites the powerful burners and the computer monitors the water temperature and adjusts the burners according to the need. High demand, high heat. Low demand, low heat.

Because the efficiency rate of tankless water heaters is about 20% higher, averaging around 90% and going up to 96% and there is no stand by losses, savings on your energy bills are evident.

Some models even have the capacity to heat the house at the same time. With these tankless water heaters, which are connected either to radiant floor heat or to a heating coil in your furnace (air handler), you can bring high efficiency space heating capacities to every home.

Just imagine a contraption the size of your kitchen cabinet, heating your home and giving you an endless supply of potable hot water. You do not need a separate furnace and a separate hot water heater.

Some models can be mounted on the exterior of a home, freeing up valuable floor and closet space on the inside. The unit can be placed in a recessed box, flush-mounted and painted or textured to match the exterior of the home.

Tankless water heaters can also be used for supplementary heat, such as a booster to a solar hot water system, or snow melting systems, or to meet all your hot water needs.

The major players include: Takagi, Rheem, Noritz, Rinnai and up and coming Luna Baxi.

We would suggest researching different makes and models in order to make the right choice for your particular needs and circumstances.

Harvey Juric, is a veteran custom home builder in Southern Ontario. If you like this article, there is more at: Ontario Home Builder , Luxury Home or Repairing/Building Contractor.com.

Auto Heater 101: Don?t Be Left Out In The Cold

An auto heater is one of the most important parts of an automobile, especially during the cold winter months. It can be a terribly uncomfortable ride to work if your heater is not operating properly, so make sure to have your automobile checked out regularly or even sooner if you notice a problem.

There are several signs that could indicate a problem with your automobile?s heater. If you notice the vehicle not getting very warm, or taking what seems like forever to feel any heat, this may be an early sign that something is wrong. In addition, if you notice that the car is not heating up at all, there is definitely something wrong. It is uncomfortable during the fall and early spring but, in winter, a vehicle with no heat could be outright misery. Without heat, you won?t be able to get the car warmed up and ice melted before going to work. In addition, you may find yourself shivering all the way to work or the store. This may not be impossible for an adult to withstand but, if you are driving your children to school, the heat needs to be fixed immediately.

Repairing an automobile may not be impossible for the do-it-yourselfer who loves to fix cars but, for almost everyone, it would be quite the task. It is more economical, however, to repair the problem yourself if possible. If not, call the nearest qualified mechanic and make an appointment. Be sure to explain the urgency and let them know the exact problem that you are having. In many cases, a mechanic will try and fit you in as soon as possible if the problem is an emergency. Once at the garage, the vehicle will have to be inspected in order to locate the exact cause of the heat failure. If a replacement part is needed, it will either be in stock or need to be special ordered. If the part is in stock, that is terrific because the repair can be done immediately. If it needs to be ordered, you may have to wait a few days or even weeks depending on the demand. You can expect a larger demand for heating parts in the winter for the simple fact that this is the time of year when most people use their heat. The more you use something, the faster it wears down. So, it is best to take your vehicle in as soon as you notice even the slightest heating problem. This way, you stand a better chance of having it fully repaired before you lose the heating source completely.

Before any work begins on your automobile, ask the employee at the garage for an estimate in writing. Request that the bill be broken down into parts, labor and a total cost for both. Always be sure to ask how long the repair will take. In some cases, you may be required to leave the vehicle in the garage overnight. If this happens, simply take the vehicle and leave it. Ask a friend or relative to follow you so that they can bring you back home. Of course, you will need someone to take you back to the garage the next day in order to pick up your vehicle.

Payment for services should be made only after the repairs are complete. If the replacement part, or work that has been done includes a warranty, ask for it in writing. Be sure to keep a copy of any warranty papers or guarantees. Tuck these important papers away in a desk drawer or folder for safe keeping and easy retrieval incase they are needed in the future.

Peter Bishop

Entrepreneur and auto heaters Online-Business owner from Colorado. Visit also his Article Directory.

Considerations When Using Wood Heaters

Considerations When Using Wood Heaters

While wood heaters are a wonderful heating source for homes it is important to remember that there are additional safety concerns if a wood heater is being used in a living space in a house. There are also ways to make your wood heater more efficient to get the most out of the wood that you are burning. For the most part good common sense will be all that is needed to operate a wood heater safely and efficiently.

Safety

The outside surface of a wood heater gets hot enough to cook food and boil water, and in fact may reach temperatures of 1000 C, so care must be taken to prevent accidental burns from contact with the heater. In addition care must be taken to properly maintain the flue and heater to prevent fires from starting. In order to safely operate a wood heater consider the following:

* If young children are present safety screens should be placed around the wood heater to prevent any burns. Children will be naturally inquisitive about the fire and may reach out to touch the glass door or the heater itself. The screens should be far enough away from the wood heater to prevent a child from leaning over the screen or falling onto the wood heater.
* Children should not be left unsupervised in a room with a wood heater.
* Children should not add wood to the heater as they may fall forward or burn themselves by accidentally making contact with the surface area.
* If the heater is equipped with a cooking surface make sure children are well supervised with preparing food.
* Make sure the heater is the correct distance from walls and ceilings to allow proper clearances.
* Keep any and all furniture, papers or other combustible items away from the wood heater at all times.
* Use a floor protector that is the correct size to stop any sparks or debris from the wood heater from getting on the carpet or floor. This will prevent fires and also prevent any damage to the floor covering.
* Correctly install the flue through the ceiling and provide the correct protection around the flue to prevent build-up of heat and possible fire in the flue. Flue fires occur when creosote builds up in the flue and ignites. A flue fire can reach temperatures of 1200 C.

Efficiency

Wood is a very efficient heating source. In order to get the maximum efficiency from your wood heater follow these simple tips:

* Use wood that is seasoned and dry to provide maximum heat with a minimum amount of smoke.
* Know what type of wood in your area burns with the highest BTU's for maximum heat production with the smallest possible amount of fuel.
* Have the correct sized flue and chimney for both safety reasons and to provide the correct about of venting and amount of pressure or draft to pull in fresh air for combustion.
* Avoid allowing wood or ashes to smolder in the heater. This will build up creosote in the chimney and lead to lots of smoke outside the house. Keep ash and burned materials to a minimum in the wood heater with frequent cleaning.
* Burn wood in cycles, not by adding one or two pieces at a time. If you add pieces of wood continually you disrupt the combustion of the wood and it will lead to an excessive amount of ash and smoke in the fire.

Carefully setting up and installing your wood heater and learning about the best types of wood available will help you enjoy the warmth of your wood heater in the safest and most efficient way possible.

Mike O'Brien is the owner of a number of websites offering valuable information on the following.

Heat Your Pool The Low Cost Way With A Solar Heater

Solar pool heaters are one of those that make the best and the optimum use of the free sunshine. It uses the renewable and non-polluting source of energy and provides maximum output. In the long run it proves itself that it has you enough money to pay for itself.

Solar pool heaters have come of age. They are the best devices to reduce swimming pool heating costs and give a competitive edge to other alternatives like gas and electric heat. They provide the most economical way of heating the pools in cold climate. Even in hot summers the pool water can be cooled down by circulating the water during night in the collectors.

Apart from installation, solar heating pools have very low operating costs. Solar pool heaters work proves to be quite useful in numerous ways. Apart from cooling the pool water in summers, they provide the most practical use of solar energy. They also cover the most effective measure to reduce the heat loss, water evaporation and chemical use. The best of the deal that you get is that you get to extend your swimming season. Various solar pool heaters also give you more control over water temperatures.

It is important to know how solar pool heaters work. This is necessary as only after knowing their proper working, you can compare how to reduce the operating costs for the same. Solar pool heaters usually consist of flat plates. The materials of these plates depend upon what kind of climate you live in. Glazed collector systems are usually made of copper tubing on an aluminum plate with an iron-tempered glass covering. This usually results in higher installation costs. But these glazed collectors absorb more heat and can also be used in heating domestic hot water all the year round.

A proper installation of solar pool heaters is an absolute must. This depends upon solar source, location of the building where the collectors are to be placed, safety measures. It is suggested to get the whole system installed from a well-qualified agency which not only holds experiencing in installing such system but can also do a good job of maintaining the same.

Like every other machine or product, solar pool heaters also ask for a little maintenance. A little maintenance every season would make these solar heaters last at least ten to twenty years. For this is important to maintain chemical balance and filtering system of the swimming pool. If the climate is usually dry all around the year, then the glazed collectors also need to be cleaned periodically. Usually the installations guide also carries instructions for maintenance as well. It is a good idea to go through the manual once. It would help in the long run.

Solar pool heaters deteriorate usually in 15-20 years but their pay back time is usually three years. If you have an area for the solar collectors, then you can reap the full benefits of solar pool heaters. Now that's what is called as basking the glory of Sun!

#1 Solar Pool Heater Resource

Solar pool heaters.

http://www.solarpoolheatersadvice.com