We recently installed a solar hot water heater and used NC Solar Now. It was a painless process and we could not be more happy with our new solar hot water heater. Installing a solar hot water heater is a great way to conserve energy, save money, and help protect the planet. Best of all, it’s easy and with the State and Federal tax credits that are available, the price is much more palatable. The picture to the left are the panels on our roof. With the panels comes an 80 gallon solar hot water heater that has electric back up. We were told that we will run on solar at least 80% of the year. Here’s how you can do it.
Money $aving
Critics of the solar hot water heater may think, “Hey, it’s just hot water. Why go to the bother of installing a solar one?” Think about it, though. Every time you step into the shower, you spend around a dollar in energy costs alone. How many showers does your family take every day? If you have a family of four, and each family takes a medium-length shower every day, you’ll end up spending more than $1,000 every year (and probably closer to $1,500) on showers alone. Solar hot water heaters are such incredible energy-savers that some countries have gone solar in a big way. In India, Japan, China, and many European countries, solar hot water heating systems are extremely prevalent. In Israel, the law actually mandates solar hot water heating. Solar hot water heaters are not simply a benefit for those of us that want to go green; they are a smart, savvy, earth-friendly solution to our need for hot water.
Easy to do.
Installing a solar hot water heater doesn’t require a total home renovation, a photovoltaic farm in your backyard, nor a roof coated with panels. The installation process is actually quite simple, easy, and quick. DIY-enthusiasts can have a go themselves, but the preferable option is to allow trained professionals to do the work. Within just a couple days, you can be using fresh hot water from your solar hot water heater.
What about, [ahem!] the cost?!
I know what you’re thinking. A solar hot water heater is expensive. And you’re right. But only partially right. As is the case in purchasing many energy-efficient products today, you, the consumer, have access to a variety of finance options that do more than give you a nice loan; they actually subsidize the product in a major way. The government and many non-government organizations are intensely interested in helping you help the environment.
Here’s how we did it when we purchased a solar hot water system in May. The price tag on our solar hot water system was $9,000. We purchased our solar hot water heater by paying $1,000 down, and financed the remainder through a home energy loan from EnerBankUSA (https://www.enerbank.com/). The loan allows no payments for twelve months. Next April at tax time, we simply record the purchase, and receive 65% of the cost back through government (State and Federal) credits. One year after the installation of the hot water heater, we will repay the loan, interest free and we will have received our credit in advance of the time we have to pay for the water heater.
Not bad for a device that saves the average American family $500 in the first year, and ever increasing amounts every year after that! Based on the major cost-savings, the ease of installation, the affordable total cost, the lifetime cost-savings, and the environmental friendliness of a solar hot water system, I highly recommend it. Trust me. I’ve done it.
I can say that our experience with NC Solar Now was excellent. If you are interested, check out NCSolarNow.com or call Steve Nicolas at 919-493-0556.
