Sustainable living, green building and
eco-friendly homes are nothing new. Although
it is gaining a widespread audience, green
living is actually a way of life and can be
as simple as changing your eating and
recycling habits, or as far-reaching as
designing a custom home with environmentally
friendly building materials and features.
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Solar Water Heaters
Harnessing energy from the sun to heat water is nothing new.
Solar water heaters have been commercially available since the
1800s. What's new is how solar water heaters look these days.
Most modern solar water heaters mount flush with a home's roof
and resemble skylights. Solar water heaters are an
environmentally sound way to reduce energy bills.
Solar energy can meet part or all of a home's domestic hot water
needs. Geographic location, system design, collector
orientation, and collector size will determine how much energy
can be provided for domestic hot water heating.
Solar water heaters come in a variety of configurations. Each
differs in design, cost, performance, and level of complexity.
Most systems have back-up water heating such as electricity or
gas. A solar water heating system usually consists of a hot
water storage tank, a solar collector that absorbs solar energy,
a back-up energy source, and (for forced circulation systems) a
pump and controls.
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Tankless
Water Heater
Pros:
Cons:
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| GE Hybrid Water Heater Pull savings out of thin air! With advanced heat pump technology combined with traditional electric elements, this new GE Hybrid electric heat pump water heater has been designed with maximum energy efficiency in mind. The tank portion of this ENERGY STAR® qualified electric water heater includes two electric heating elements, a pressure relief valve, an internal porcelain-lined tank and an anode rod. But what truly sets this product apart is just above the tank. In the Hybrid, eHeat and High Demand modes, the water heater moves air through the system and out the back of the unit. An air filter is in place to protect the evaporator from accumulating dirt and dust. A clean air filter is important to get the highest efficiency. When the filter requires cleaning, a red indicator light above the "Filter" button will become illuminated, and an audible beep will sound. The filter can be wiped clean with a damp rag or rinsed with warm water. GE Hybrid Water Heater |
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| In the Hybrid, eHeat and High Demand modes, the water heater moves air through the system and out the back of the unit. An air filter is in place to protect the evaporator from accumulating dirt and dust. A clean air filter is important to get the highest efficiency. When the filter requires cleaning, a red indicator light above the "Filter" button will become illuminated, and an audible beep will sound. The filter can be wiped clean with a damp rag or rinsed with warm water. Hybrid mode – Use less energy while still experiencing fast recovery times. While the unit uses the heat pump as its primary means to heat the water, the standard electric elements may activate if a faster water temperature recovery time is needed. When the system determines that demand has been met, it will automatically revert back to using the heat pump only. This is the default mode the electric water heater is shipped in. | |
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| The Most Advanced, Energy-Efficient Water Heater Available. Rheem air-source heat pump water heaters work much like a refrigerator in reverse. The heat pump extracts the heat from warm air, intensifies the heat with a compressor, delivers the heat to the water, and exhausts the cooler air. Because it uses the warm ambient air temperature to do most of the work, it is a very efficient way to heat water. | |
Rheem Water Heaters
Features & Benefits
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| The benefits to homeowners building green, eco-friendly homes are well-known but worth repeating: lower utility bills, greater comfort, better indoor air quality, tax breaks, and higher resale prices, just to name a few. Green building should not be looked at as yet another home-building fad, but rather a way of making well-informed decisions regarding the ways we think and live. By making smarter decisions we significantly increase our health, wealth and well-being for ourselves and our families. Green living at its core uses resources more efficiently, eliminates waste and creates healthier living spaces. It goes beyond an energy-saving appliance or a reduced waste home site (although those are great places to begin) and it is about significantly addressing and subsequently changing your lifestyle to live with efficiency in mind. | |
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Equal Housing Opportunity