Tankless and Solar Hot Water Heater

Solar PV panels for electricity

2009-12-14T10:53:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-24T11:32:00.001-05:00

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

Wash cloths with rain water.

2009-11-23T15:17:00.001-05:00

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

2009-04-28T12:40:00.000-04:00

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

2009-04-27T15:24:00.012-04:00

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

2009-04-26T16:17:00.000-04:00

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

2009-04-25T10:27:00.001-04:00

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

2009-04-24T09:52:00.000-04:00

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

2009-04-24T09:38:00.001-04:00

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

2009-04-23T11:06:00.004-04:00

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

Return the hot water tank yourself to Direct Energy
Have Direct Energy pick up the hot water tank for a fee of $75.
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.
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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Gas and Tankless Hot Water Installers

2009-04-22T13:35:00.000-04:00

Installer

Certified licensed gas installer with liability insurance

Contact Name: Mark Nazri
Profession: Gas Installer
Location Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
Contact Number 416-822-9030
Cost of installation is $400

Pre Heat Water Using Solar Evacuated Tubes

2009-04-21T09:02:00.002-04:00

In order to reduce the amount of gas used to heat hot using a tankless hot water heater. The water can be preheated using the sun. The thermosyphon solar hot water heater is used. The installation doesn't require a complex installation like most closed loop solar hot water systems. Residents of Canada or the United States go to retailer and price information. The simple solutions are the best solutions.

The average temperature for taking shower is 120F. If the thermosyphon solar collector is not producing enough hot water for instance on cloudy days or at night. the tankless hot water unit act as a back and raise the temperature of the water as required.

Installation:

setup solar collectors on the ground outside the house
connect the water supply line coming from the city to the inlet of the solar collector
connect the outlet supply line from the collector to the inlet of the tankless hot water heater

Note: If the location where you live water freezes during the winter months. Drain the solar hot water system to prevent pipes bursting during the winter months. In order to use the solar hot water system during months when freezing occurs use heated tape to prevent pipes from bursting.

Benefits OVER Closed Loop Glycol Solar Hot Water Systems:

NO need for:

glycol pumps
heat exchanger
glycol
temperature controller
no year maintenance cost and time
these systems range from $4,000 to $10,000

Evacuated Tube Price

2009-04-20T08:50:00.001-04:00

The grants available for evacuated solar hot water tubes are provincial $1250 and federal $1250. Plus the additional %15 tax credit for home renovations. After applying all the grants the solar hot water system comes pricing comes to $0 (aka free). These solar hot water systems are are good for 15 years of worry free operation.

Ward 30 Toronto Danforth Residents
For residents of Toronto who live in Ward 30 Toronto Danforth received an additional $1000 through the Toronto Solar Neighborhood Initiative program toward the installation evacuated solar hot water system.

Total Cost of System

cost of system	$2700
provincial	- $1250
federal	- $1250
home renovation tax credit	- $255
Grand Total	$0

List of Accepted Solar collectors which qualify for the $2500 government grant.

Canadian Residents

Prompt Solar Corp
website Prompt Technology

Contact Information

Markham, Ontario
L3S 3A5
Canada
Phone 310-359-0322
Email sales@PROMPTtechnology.com

Price $1100 CDN
System is Canadian Standards Association - csa approved

Equipment Solar Hot Water Pre Heat

2009-04-19T08:49:00.000-04:00

80 Gallon Thermosyphon Solar Hot Water System: Silicon Solar offers pre-packaged solar hot water heating systems for both the do-it-yourself customer and the professional installer. Each system includes the primary components required when installing a solar hot water heating system.

Actual Test Data:

Temperature Loss (night): <1.5>

Operational Basics :

Through natural convection hot water rises and cold water sinks. This principal explains the basic operation of a Thermosyphon System. Cold water sinks from the storage tank (header) into the evacuated tubes. While in the tubes, the cold water is heated. As the water heats it rises back up into the header. Throughout the day, all of the cold water within the Thermpsyphon System will be heated in this way.

Specifications:

Weight: 388 lbs
Dimensions: 48 sq ft of roof space for solar collector.
Installation: 1-2 days
Manufacturer: Silicon Solar Inc
Fitting: 3/4" NPT

Materials:

(1) Solar Collector (30 Tubes)
(1) Complete Mounting Hardware Frame
(1) Insulated Storage Tank/Manifold (80 Gallon)
(1) Expansion Tank

Product Details:

Inner Tank Material: SUS316L Stainless Steel
Inner Tank Thickness: 0.02 in (0.6 mm)
Outer Tank Material: SUS304 Stainless Steel
Outer Tank Thickness: 0.06 in (1.5 mm)
Insulation Material: Polyurethane
Insulation Thickness: 2 in (50 mm)
Frame Material: Coated Galvanized Steel
Frame Thickness: 0.6 in (1.5 mm)
Copper Heating Coil Diameter: 0.47 in (12 mm)
Copper Heating Coil Thickness: 0.03 in (0.8 mm)
Operating Pressure: <6>
Tested Pressure: 10 bar

Applications:

Domestic hot water: Normal hot water in a house
Radiant floor heating: Small cabin system
Municipal swimming pool showers

How to Install Heated Tape

2009-04-18T11:55:00.000-04:00

Don't run the risk of letting your water pipes freeze. It's relatively easy to install heat tape and it's a good way to prevent major damage to your manufactured home. If your freshwater pipes are already wrapped in heat tape, check that the heat tape was properly installed, and periodically check the heat tape to make sure it isn't worn or frayed. To check existing heat tapes, use the directions that follow. It's an important safety check of your home. Many manufactured home fires are the result of improperly installed heat tape.

You should apply heat tape to all exterior water supply piping and shutoff valves. Also protect any interior water pipes that run along outside walls or anywhere that the temperature may drop below freezing. How much heat tape you will need depends on the length, size and type of the pipe. You need to know the pipe length and diameter and the number of valves or faucets along the run. To determine how much heat tape you'll require, consult the manufacturer's guidelines.

The No Freeze Hose is a manufacture which supplies a custom order hose which has a built in heating mechanism. This is no need to wrap a copper pipe, the installer just plugs that hose into a 110v residential power outlet. No need for thermostat, the hose is heated when temperatures dip to zero degree.

CAUTION! Because you are, in effect, wrapping an electrical wire around your water supply pipes, it's very important that you:

Read all the directions.

Use only laboratory-tested heat tape, authorized for use with manufactured homes.

Do not cross the heat tape back over itself. This could overheat the tape and start a fire.

If your water supply piping is plastic, ONLY use automatic
thermostatically controlled heat tape. Non-automatic heat tapes can damage plastic pipes, especially if the taped pipes are covered with insulation.

For this job you'll need automatic heat tape (the kind with a thermostat), electrical tape, and pipe insulation (which could take the form of a waterproof insulated pipe jacket, or pipe insulation with vapor seal cover). Some heat tape kits combine several of these items

STEP 3: Attach heat tape
Space wraps according to the manufacturer's guidelines. Use electrical tape, not electrical wire, to hold the heat tape in place. It is very important that you never cross the heat tape back over itself: this creates a real fire hazard.

STEP 4: Insulate
It's a good idea to cover the water pipe and heat tape with pipe insulation or pipe jacketing. If the insulation does not have a weather-protective outer surface, you will need to cover it with a waterproof wrap.

STEP 5: Plug it in
Don't forget to plug in your heat tape before the onset of cold weather. Do not use an extension cord. The heat tape must plug directly into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) receptacle. You should find a GFCI protected outlet underneath your manufactured home, near the water inlet. If not, you will need to install one.

Which Furnace Brand is best with the Least Problems

2009-04-17T16:05:00.000-04:00

Which Furnace Brand is the best with the least number of reported problems?

When trying to make a decision on what furnace to buy can be very overwhelming and confusing. Furnace installers say one thing, blogs and advertising say another. I decide to do my own research and get to the bottom of things. With the help of Google Search the following query was used.

“problem –furnace manufacture name- furnace”

problem goodman furnace

problem lennox furnace

etc….

Google search time frame was limited to 1 year. The furnace with the most number of results returned in the search query where considered to be the worst performing furnaces on the market. The basic assumption is the more people discussing problem about different manufactures means that particular furnace manufacture’s product is experiencing problems and equipment is need of repair.

Here are the results of the search queries using Google. Seven furnace manufactures where using in experiment.

Goodman is the #1 Brand

ranked by Google Search

Ranking	Manufacture	Result
1	Goodman	103,000
2	Lennox	112,000
3	Trane	108,000
4	Coleman	153,000
5	Carrier	312,000
6	American Standard	685,000
7	York	820,000

The cheapest price for the Goodman
Installation price for furnace is $500 for labor only.
don’t let furnace sales guys use scare tactics to sucker you into buy expensive models (such as Trane) and with promises of 10 year parts and labor. 10 year warranty is only valid if you get your furnace serviced every year by a technician.
Goodman is have the price with the least number of complains and problems.

Model	BTU	Number	Location	Price	Note
GMV951155DX	115,000	877-265-9764	USA	$1329	ships to Canada add $182 ship with USA add $113


GMV951155DX	115,000	416-751-2000	Toronto	$1753	Supplier Frontier Only a licensed gas installer can buy from Frontier distributor

Pellet Burning Stove

2009-04-16T15:08:00.000-04:00

As the cost of natural gas and heat oil continue to raise. The most cost effective way to heat your home is to use a pellet burning stove. Most people when they think of stove they think of word burning stove. Over the last decade there has been significant advancements in pellet stoves. One of the best stove on the market is from Harman the HydroFlex60 Pellet Boiler.

This unit solves two problems the first is space heating and the second is freeze protection for solar hot water system. Simply connect the in and out water pipes to the solar unit and anytime the temperature falls close to freezing in the solar hot water storage tank the HydroFlex Pellet Boiler's water pump automatically turn itself on.

Currently it costs 50% less to heat with pellet stove as it cost with conventional natural gas or heating oil. Pellets can be purchased in bulk, the great thing about this stove is that it has a automatic pellet feed. Just set the desired temperature and the stove will adjust the burning of pellets accordingly.

2006-11-12T13:29:00.000-05:00

     Home

TANKLESS HOT WATER HEATER
     Tank less Price
     Tank less Ratings and Reviews

     Tank less Equipment
     Gas Supply Line
     Installers
     Tank Drop Off
     Vent Pipe
     Tank less Overview

SOLAR EVACUATED TUBES
     Evacuated Tube Price
     Introduction Evacuated Tubes
     Evacuated Tube Equipment
     Install Heat Tape

SPACE HEATING
Best Natural Gas Furnaces
Pellet Burning Stove