Q: My hot water tank is shot. Is there a green option for a replacement or repair?
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A: I’m prepared to sacrifice a lot for the planet, but giving up steamy showers, however short, when the trees are still bare isn’t one of them. (Talk to me again in July.)
Water heating counts for up to 25 per cent of household energy consumption. You can, of course, use less of the stuff, but if your tank is leaking, your water is rusty or you can’t get halfway through a shower without the water sending shivers down your spine, it’s probably time for a shiny green new system (or to talk your landlord into getting one).
Plus, if it’s over 10 years old, your unit is actually about half as efficient as it was in its glory days.
Speaking of peaking, keeping a giant tank of water scalding hot 24/7 is so last decade. But, hey, if you love inefficiencies, go on and get yourself a large electric tank heater. Natural gas models are a step in the right direction, especially if you get the Energy Star kind, and in particular, ones with condensing heat exchangers (which are 40 per cent more efficient).
You can rent one from about $35 a month, or get one installed from $1,500 to $3,000.
Pining for a sexy tankless, aka on-demand or instantaneous, hot water heater? Join the club – one Enwise sales rep says they sell more of these than any other model. These small wall-mounted puppies only heat water as you need it (instead of when you’re at work, school or sleeping, like your old tank). Besides using 20 to 50 per cent less energy, they should last twice as long, since water doesn’t sit in them and cause corrosion.
FYI, some find that they don’t crank out as much water per minute as they’d like. To avoid running cold, be sure to check the flow rate, which caps the number of litres the unit can heat per minute. The higher the flow rate, the more likely it is you can take a hot shower and wash dishes at the same time. (But do you really have to do both at once?)
Large households that are in the habit of taking two showers and running the washing machine all at once should change their routine, and fast, or probably stick to a condensing tank system. Also, if you have a large whirlpool tub with high-flow valves (as most do), you might find basic tankless flow rates inadequate.
Other kvetches: it can take an extra 30 seconds for hot water to reach your tap if it’s far from the heater. And one of the tankless heater’s biggest advantages is also a shortcoming: if managed right, it never runs out of hot water. That means a self-indulgent teen or roommate who takes 30-minute showers may never leave the stall.
If you do go for gas, make sure your current gas line will meet the requirements of your new gas-fired tankless water heater (i.e., you might need a bigger duct to vent it, and if the unit is poorly installed you could end up wasting more gas).
A final head’s up on these: Consumer Reports tested a small sample of hot water heaters and found that, for instance, a Takagi tankless and A.O. Smith condensing tank would save you $70 to 80 a year in energy costs and had 15-year paybacks (not fast enough in their view). But they weren’t factoring in that between federal and provincial rebates, you’ll be cutting your upfront costs down by $630 to $750 (whether you pay $1,500 plus for all installed or rent for $39 per month) and most importantly, reducing your fossil fuel use.
Want to score the most points with the planet? Install a solar hot water tank. Yes, you’ll also have to fork out more green (roughly $4,000 and up to $8,000 for an all-season model), but it actually gives you way faster returns than a roof full of solar panels (with a payback of 6 to 12 years, according to the Clean Energy Foundation).
Surprisingly, solar hot water heaters can cover about half your annual water heating needs (90 per cent in summer, 10 per cent in winter). You’ll still need a backup heating source, and ideally you’ll combo your sun power with a super-efficient tankless system that can vary its heat output when it meets water that’s been pre-warmed by your solar system.
By the way, anyone with a geothermal heating system or radiant floor heating will score “free” hot water without having to get a separate water heater.
Whether you get your tush bathed with the help of a high-efficiency condensing gas furnace, tankless system, solar or geothermal, don’t forget to look into sizable federal and provincial grants before you pull out your wallet.
Got a question?
Send your green queries to ecoholic@nowtoronto.com
