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Go Green: Water heating
By Susan Nerberg
In most cottages, cold H2O goes to the water heater to be warmed up. Then it just sits there. Waiting. Using energy. Are there other options?
Sunny side up
These use sunshine to preheat domestic water. The flat panels contain a loop of thermal-conductive pipes that heat water and ferry it into the cottage. For year-round cold-climate use, the pipes usually contain antifreeze instead of water, with the captured heat transferred to the hot-water system via a heat exchanger. You’ll shell out $4,000 or more for a system, but the payback time can be as little as six years if you use electric heating, 12 years for natural gas.
Hot water, now!
On-demand tankless water heaters heat only the water you need, as you need it. Water is warmed as it flows through the device for an unlimited stream (got teenage kids?). A wood-burning water heater is slower, but can be hooked up to existing plumbing, and indoors, the stove can double as a space heater.
Save money
Other cheap and easy energy-saving options include lowering the water-heater temperature to 50°C, using the vacation setting when you won’t be there for a few days, dressing up your tank with an insulating jacket or cover, and insulating the pipes that carry the hot water to your shower.
—Susan Nerberg
Photo of solar water heater by Servamatic Solar Systems
Green water heating info:
Clean Air Foundation (Ontario), on solar heating and
power
Canadian Renewable Energy Network, on solar water heating
Government of Canada Eco-Energy
Program info and incentives
Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy
Efficiency
Government of Canada EnerGuide
US Dept of Energy
Efficiency
Products:
Watercycles’ Drain water heat recovery
EcoInnovation’s drain water heat recovery
GFX Technology’s drain water heat exhanger
Retherm’s drain water heat recovery
A.O. Smith on-demand gas water
heater
Taylor Munro’s three-season solar heaters
ACR Solar has a DIY solar water heating kit
Dawn Solar makes a system that’s hidden under the roofing material
Solargenix’s unit converts an existing electric or gas heater into a
solar heater
See also Cottage Life's online Product Services Directory in the Alternative Energy category
Published in the October 2009 issue of Cottage Life magazine.
