Speaking of energy... we turned off our hybrid heatpump/electric hotwater while away. I have been really impressed by it. (Rheem -- Home Depot)
It has definitely reduced our hot water costs compared to a standard electric DHW tank. It is a little small for a family of four adults but has excellent controls to switch between energy saving and other modes on a schedule or on demand.
Here's the last week, and the past two years. We hosted Christmas last year. :) #Energy#hotwater#heatpump
#Energy#hotwater#heatpump If you are wondering on cost: We pay on the "high tier" 13c/kWh most of the time. The low tier is 9c/kWh but since we are all electric, we blow through that tier pretty quickly.
Another bonus for this has been the "free" cooling in the summer. Being a heatpump, it blows cool air out when its operating. We have it in the basement/laundry room behind a door to keep the noise down. For the first year we just had it operating into the room. It kept the whole basement cool in the summer, definitely reduced the use of the main HP unit, but in the winter it worked too well and made the basement too cold. It seemed silly to be heating the basement with one heat pump and cooling it with the DHW. So I added ducting (you can buy the parts on their site) and piped it outside but with a Y inside that I could open to let cold air out into the house during the summer. Now we expel a little more warm air to the outside in winter, but we keep the cool air in the summer. It's good! #Energy#hotwater#heatpump
Safety tip: after hearing a story from one of my students in my first aid class (about her little brother's leg being nearly amputated after he was severely scalded by hot water -- peeling off his skin, and layers of muscle and tendon) -- have set the hot water temperature in the house I'm staying in to a much lower temperature. Recommended is 120F per CPSC. #safety#hotwater#plumbing#prevention
Out with two old hot water tanks and in with one new one! Heat pump ready! And with a working immersion heater for dumping spare solar power!
Heating guy guessed the old unclad one might have been in there since the 70s and was, rather worringly, sludgy inside - he reckons the coil had split. Remember kids, never drink from the hot tap! #centralheating#hotwater