Are Solar Hot Water Heaters Worth It

3 buy a conventional solar hot water system that uses the heat of the sun to directly heat the water in hot water panels.

Are solar hot water heaters worth it.

If you replace your current gas or electric water heater with a solar water heater you could save up to 65 3 of your hot water energy use. Will buying a solar water heater save you money on your power bills. According to the u s. That s for a flat plate thermosiphon tank on roof style system like the one in the first pic above.

There are two main types of solar water heating systems active and passive. The answer of course is yes. This varies based on the area of the country you live in the type of unit you buy and how much hot water your family uses. These cost about 4000 5000.

Department of energy solar water heaters reduce monthly utility bills by 50 percent to 80 percent on average. Xii the average solar water heater costs between 6 000 and 10 000 before incentives. However what you need to consider is how long it will take for you to recoup the investment in buying a solar water heating unit. You ll receive a tax credit of 1 300 bringing the total cost of your system down to just 3 700.

Solar water heaters are cost effective reliable and use proven technology developed right here in australia and pioneered by solahart back in 1953. A hot water diverter costs about 1000 without a cylinder. This is quite high when compared to a conventional gas water heater s 600 to 1 350. You can see that around 25 of your electricity bill is used to heat your water.

Generate almost 8 percent of the nation s heating and. Both can be dependent on the climate so it is still recommended to give them a try during the warmer months of the year. The investment tax credit also known as the federal solar tax credit offers a credit equal to 26 of the costs of installing a solar water heater. It s important to remember that current payback periods are tied to today s utility rates.

If you currently have an electric storage hot water system your household energy consumption will probably break down like this. Solar water heating is a system that directly heats the water that gets pumped into your home. With savings like that solar water heaters pay for themselves very quickly usually within 5 to 10 years. According to a 2012 study by the national renewable energy lab p.

So let s say your solar water heater costs 5 000. The price of a suitable solar hot water system is about 4 000 installed. In fact a recent report by the solar energy industries association estimates that solar heating and cooling shc in the u s.