Solar PV panels for electricity

In September 2009 the Ontario government passed legislation requiring hydro electric companies such as Ontario Hydro to allow local producers to sell back electricity back to the  grid.  The new program is call microFIT which stands for Feed In Tariff.  Program applies to residential power generation which produces less than 10 kilowatts of power.

Sell Rate = $0.80 per kWh

Buy Rate = $0.07 per kWh

20 year guaranteed price contract

Where to buy Solar Panels

For the first time homeowners can buy solar panels off the shelves from a major retailer. Akeena Solar’s Andalay AC panels are available at Lowe's Home Improvement stores. The panels, which were recently honored with a 2009 Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Product  award, are featured as part of Lowe's Energy Center at the stores.  Homeowners now can get a system as small as one panel. With Andalay's safe household AC power design, they are the only real choice for do-it-yourselfers.  Online solar panel electricity calculator to be run to estimate roof potential.
Lowe's will stock the accessories required for installation, eliminating the need for do-it-yourselfers and contractors to pre-order components and enabling them to pick up what they need on the way to the installation.

The Andalay AC system is fully integrated with built-in racking, grounding, wiring and micro-inverters. Andalay panels also have built-in inverters that produce household AC power, so there is no high-voltage DC wiring.  Andalay AC systems use Suntech panels and Enphase micro-inverters. Andalay modules are UL listed and CSA certified. Akeena said that Andalay AC panels produce 5 to 25 percent more energy output compared with ordinary DC solar panels.

Free HD Cable TV with a Personal Video Recorder

Residents of the Greater Toronto Area who want to free themselves of Rogers cable, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw or Cogeco monthly subscription plans.

Enjoy free over-the-air OTA high definition broadcasts in 1080i HD with 5.1 surround sound. This is NOT like those illegal satellites. This is completely LEGAL, install ONCE and never do anything again.
Go to Toronto Antenna Installers for more details official website has been launched at http://www.torontoantenna.com

Wash cloths with rain water.

The best way to save money is to catch and use rain water.  Rain water can be used to wash cloths and water lawn or garden.  The first step is to purchase a rain barrel to catch rain water which comes off the roof.  Storage this water in a barrel until it’s time to use.

Place the laundry in the backyard and fill the laundry basin with rain water.  This method is best used with top load laundries.  The front load type will need to have the inlet water pipes connected to the rain water barrel.  Use biodegradable detergent.  Let the water discharge onto the lawn or garden.  An average family of 4 people will save approximately $500 year in water. 

Using a rain barrel will help to:

• Prevent storm water runoff from your property - catch the rain from your roof and use it when you need it or let it soak into the ground
• Water your lawn and garden - plants thrive on soft, chlorine-free rainwater
• Cut water bills by reducing your use of potable water for outdoor uses
• Reduce the energy used by the city to treat and pump potable water and sewage

What makes this rain barrel so special?

• This custom designed barrel is engineered from the ground up for maximum durability and ease of use all year long. It's the practical efficient way to catch the rain and save your river.
• This tough recycled 500-litre (132 US Gallons) barrel resists fading, warping and cracks and fits snugly into the corner of you yard. The easy-to-use diverter valve means winter maintenance is a simple turn of a dial.
• Fits any size downspout, is mosquito-proof and child-safe and promises years of maintenance-free watering.
• Two drainage options - at 1 inch and 12 inches from the ground - fit the interchangeable plug and hose-ready brass valve.

Benefits of Installing Tankless Hot Water Heater

Cost of Heating Water in the Home: Generally, 20 percent of a home's energy use comes from heating water for bathing, washing dishes, laundry, and cooking. Annually, this can add up to more than $450 to operate a conventional storage water heater.

Save money on hot water heating, remove old rented water tank and replace with a instantaneous hot water heater. Research suggests the best tankless hot water unit on the market is the Rinnai 7.5 gpm unit. Here is on video on the benefits of a tankless water heater. Great investment, while at the same time helping to save the environment by using less natural gas to heat water.

How Conventional Tanks Work:
Storage tank-type water heaters raise and maintain the water temperature to the temperature setting on the tank (usually between 120 degrees - 140 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees - 60 degrees Celsius). Even if no hot water is drawn from the tank the heater will operate periodically to maintain the water temperature. Also, when cool water enters the tank to replace used water it too needs to be heated to the desired levels.

Standby Loss:
The process of heating water in a storage tank suffers from what is called, "standby loss". Standby loss describes the energy wasted to maintain a specific temperature in the tank. Standby loss accounts for up to 20 percent of a home's annual water heating costs.

How Tankless Water Heaters Work:
Tankless water heaters are often referred to as, "on-demand water heating," because it does not store heated water. Once the faucet is opened, water flows into the heater where a sensor turns on the heat exchanger or heating coils. Water flows through the heating coils, it is heated to the desired temperature. Once the faucet is closed, the sensor automatically shuts down the heating coils. The entire process takes about 5 seconds to heat the water initially.

Advantages:
We have seen that since there is no standby loss, tankless heaters can be more energy efficient than their counterparts. Other advantages to tankless water heaters are that they do not waste water since water is heated almost immediately. Also, you will not run out of hot water in the middle of a shower.
Since tankless heater are smaller and do not hold water, their life span is 20 years, twice its counterpart's.

Tankless Water Heaters Rated

The most common question is "which tankless water heater" is the best. For our experience and speaking with customers and installers. The following is a list of best to worst rated tankless water heaters. We conducted an unbiased review of the popularity as well as the consumer and expert reviews so that you can find the right tankless water heater. Some of the top brands we reviewed are: Bosch, Rinnai, and Noritz and all the brands on our list make good quality tankless water heaters.

Brand: Rinnai
Category: Tankless Water Heater
Model: R75 LSi
Price: $760.00

Brand:
Noritz
Category: Tankless Water Heater
Model: N0751M-DVC-NG
Price: $1100

Brand:
Bosch
Category: Tankless Water Heater
Model: 2700ES
Price: $1020

Brand:
Takagi
Category: Tankless Water Heater
Model: Flash T-K3-SP
Price: $900

Brand:
Paloma
Category: Tankless Water Heater
Model: PH-28RIFS
Price: $949

Brand:
Navien
Category: Tankless Water Heater
Model:
Price: $

Brand:
Bradford White
Category: Tankless Water Heater
Model:
Price: $

Brand:
Stiebel Eltron
Category: Tankless Water Heater
Model:
Price: $

Brand:
Eemax
Category: Tankless Water Heater
Model:
Price: $

 

Rank	Manufacture	Model	Price
1	Rinnai	R75 LSi	$760
2	Noritz	N0751M-DVC-NG	$1100
3	Bosch	2700ES	$1020
4	Takagi	Flash T-K3-SP	$900
5	Paloma /Rheem /Waiwela	PH-28RIFS	$949
6	Navien
7	Bradford White
8	Stiebel Eltron
9	Eemax

Rinnai R75 LSi
Sam Kingston
4.5
1st September 2009
Best Tankless water heater on the market

Equipment R75LSi NG Tankless Water Heater

Rinnai tankless hot water heater

Specification

• ENERGY STAR qualified
• Sleek, modern design
• Commercial-grade heat exchanger
• Lightweight and compact
• Integrated condensate collector
• EZConnect™ (connects two units together)
• Meets California and Texas NOx emission standards
• Works with natural gas or propane
• Energy Factor of .82 for both gas types
• Integrated MC-91-1 digital controller with error code indicator
• Temperature range with controllers: 98°– 160° F
• 12-year heat exchanger limited warranty for residential installations (5 years on parts, 1 year on labor)
  

Specifications

• Dimensions: 14” W x 26” H x 10” D
• Weight: 50 lbs.
• Installation : Interior/Residential or Commercial
• Approved Gas Types: Natural Gas or Propane
• Minimum/Maximum Gas Rate (Input BTUs): 15,000 - 180,000 NG or LP
• Hot Water Capacity: 0.6 to 7.5 GPM at 35° rise
• Energy Factor: .82 for NG or LP
• Electrical: AC 120 Volts – 60 Hz
• Connections: Gas Supply: ¾ inch MNPT
• Cold Water Inlet: ¾ inch MNPT
• Hot Water Outlet: ¾ inch MNPT
• Temperature Range (Min-Max)
• Residential: 98°-140° F
• Commercial: 98°-160° F (requires MCC-91 controller)
• Standard Digital Controller: MC-91-1

Pressure Relief Valve

Water valves

Gas Valve

Rinnai Tank less Water Heater Price

Customers in Canada cannot purchase this unit directly. Customers must buy from an authorized installer. For this reason purchase the Rinnai tank less hot water unit from the United States and find a local gas installer in the greater Toronto area (GTA).  Energy audit done BEFORE you install the unit to qualify for the provincial and the federal rebates. To view a list of all rebates go to the Retrofit your home Canadian Government website.
Manufacture: Rinnai
Model: R75LSi NG Tank less Water Heater using Natural Gas

Parts included are: Air vent water value kit pressure value

Competitive quotes which include installation:

• enwise $3400
• sears $2800
• Do it yourself $1056

Cost of System

cost of unit $1000 USD + 9% New York State tax * (1.28 exchange rate)	$1395
GST and PST paid at the Canadian Customs Boarder	$181
installation	$400
total before grants	$1976
federal	-315
provincial	-315
Enbridge (ends August 31, 2009) Enbridge grant	-300
home renovation credit of $800 * 15%	-120
Grand Total	$926

 Where to Buy

Rinnai tank less hot water units can be purchased from plumbing supply shop Ferguson Enterprises located in Buffalo, New York. There are online sellers pricing these units at $760 but remember these units don't come with pressure value, water and air vent kits. Don't be fooled.

2920 Walden Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14043-2603 Contact Number: 716-683-1633

• Same day shipping rates can be calculated at price calculator.

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Gas Supply Line

Rinnai tankless hot water unit requires a 3/4 gas supply line. When a 180,000 BTU gas meter.

Use cast iron pipe as opposed to flexible pipe line. Most installer will opt for the flexible gas hose but it has been tested in some states in America. That if lighting were to strike the house and the gas pipe get energized with electricity. The gas flex hoses are know to rupture, and can cause house fires.

What NOT to do.



We recommend that cast iron gas piping be used given the over welling test data. To prevent a fire after a lighting strike, use a "blocking" clap. One end of the ground is attached to the gas supply pipe the other is attached to the city water supply line inlet. This ground provides a path for the electrical current. The energy is passed into the ground with out any damage to the house and electrical appliances.

RIGHT way

Vent Pipe Installation

When considering the location of the tankless unit may variable need to be taken it consideration. Installation of air vent was a little complicated, because the furnace room is located at the center of the house. I had to put a 12 foot extension for Rinnai exhaust. If unit can be mounted on a exterior basement wall is the best solution.

Here are a couple of things to think about.

EXTENSION PIPE

• side wall horizontal venting
• Distance from the tankless hot water unit to the exterior wall
• roof top vertical venting
  
• For every 4 feet of extension pipe the slope required for water condensation to flow out is 1 inch.
• If the extension pipe does not have enough slope, water may build up in the pipe. Which may cause the pipe to leak water at the joints.
  
• 2 types of bends 45 and 90 degree
• vent pipes come in 3 sizes 10, 19.5 and 39 inch
  

ELEVATION

• Is the top of the basement ceiling lower than the exterior soil

CONDENSATION RUN OFF

• Will the water condensation flow out of the house or towards the Rinnai tankless unit.
• This will require a condensation hose and trap

Hot Water Tank Drop Off

If renting hot water tank, there are 3 options available if located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

1. Return the hot water tank yourself to Direct Energy
2. Have Direct Energy pick up the hot water tank for a fee of $75.
3. Purchase the tank from Direct Energy. Contact Direct Energy to find out the purchase price of your hot water tank. The purchase price (buy out) will vary depending on age the rental tank.
4. Sell your old hot water (if purchased) for the value of the scrap metal. Scrap metal collection companies may not pay for tank, but will pick free of charge. Most local towns will pick up appliances from a $10 fee on a specified day. But why pay for the town to pick up if companies are willing to do it for free.
   

Direct Energy uses Don Park as the vendor to handle hot water tank returns. When you drop off the tank, Don Park agent will ask to fill out a form for the tank return. Keep this form because it proves that the tank was returned. It takes 60 days before your see the rental tank removed from your Enbridge gas bill.

Toronto Tank Drop Off Location

Direct Energy ( Don Park )
1166 Gorham Road
unit number 2
New Market,ON
L3Y 1L8
Canada
Contact Number: 905-953-0288

Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm
Saturday 7am to 10pm




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