- Apr 14, 2006
- 89
Any experiences or recommendations with hybrid water heaters?
Since I got my pellet stove, I've cut way down on fuel oil for heating. But I just got a fuel oil delivery for almost $600. Last topped off in June, so most of that must be going for hot water that is headed in our ancient tankless system.
While looking into solar, I came across mention of hybrid heaters at Consumer Reports:
"As recently as last year, replacing a broken water heater meant paying a few hundred dollars for a relatively inefficient storage-tank unit or spending thousands to eke out energy savings with a solar or tankless system. But smarter new heaters are changing that.
"Three we tested saved enough energy to pay for their roughly $2,000 cost in about five to seven years rather than decades. Known as hybrids, they have a conventional electric storage heater paired with a heat pump that extracts heat from the air and uses it to help heat the water. Models from GE, Rheem, and A.O. Smith used almost 60 percent less energy than standard electric heaters, which account for roughly half of all water heaters sold. That's a $325 savings per year, based on national average costs for electricity."
To that they add savings from tax incentives, although a federal tax credit ran out last year.
Thoughts? Thanks.
Since I got my pellet stove, I've cut way down on fuel oil for heating. But I just got a fuel oil delivery for almost $600. Last topped off in June, so most of that must be going for hot water that is headed in our ancient tankless system.
While looking into solar, I came across mention of hybrid heaters at Consumer Reports:
"As recently as last year, replacing a broken water heater meant paying a few hundred dollars for a relatively inefficient storage-tank unit or spending thousands to eke out energy savings with a solar or tankless system. But smarter new heaters are changing that.
"Three we tested saved enough energy to pay for their roughly $2,000 cost in about five to seven years rather than decades. Known as hybrids, they have a conventional electric storage heater paired with a heat pump that extracts heat from the air and uses it to help heat the water. Models from GE, Rheem, and A.O. Smith used almost 60 percent less energy than standard electric heaters, which account for roughly half of all water heaters sold. That's a $325 savings per year, based on national average costs for electricity."
To that they add savings from tax incentives, although a federal tax credit ran out last year.
Thoughts? Thanks.