A combination of geothermal, solar, and instant-on heaters, as well as digital thermostats, proper insulation, front load clothes washers, small dishwashers, and temperature sensors on faucets and shower heads can do wonders.
Current breakevens in a new construction house are about 5 years, and even shorter depending on loans and grants from individual states, towns and local utilities. I am also looking at some electric generation on me soon-to-be-built house, including solar,wind and (depending on ruling), a little hydro. Add to that good passive techniques and smart appliance selection, I should be just about energy independent on a yearly basis. On 1/8/07, Zaphod Beeblebrox <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > My dad installed one on his house in 1985. I think that thing has > paid for itself several times over. I know in the summer, the hot > water heater never runs and given that it's an extra 120 gal tank in > addition the the 40 gal tank, you never run out of hot water. > > On 1/8/07, Wayne Putterill <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > This is really quite common in the UK, coincidentally I picked up a > > leaflet in a local store yesterday for exactly this product - £1400 > > self fit with government grants available. They estimate on 70% > > savings on heating bills and a very quick pay back (2-3 years). > > > > Google "solar water heating kit", and apparently they work even on > > overcast days and in winter. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Create robust enterprise, web RIAs. Upgrade & integrate Adobe Coldfusion MX7 with Flex 2 http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;56760587;14748456;a?http://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion/flex2/?sdid=LVNU Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:223979 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
