Anyone have or getting a solar water heater? (house, heat pump)

[egeorge]

We are considering a system for our house. There are federal and CPS rebates available, so the time to do it is now. What have been your experiences? What collector type would you recommend and what company would you recommend? I am familiar with the other heater types but the only other option we would consider would be a heat pump water heater but I have heard little about them so far. Our primary consideration is to minimize KWh/hrs used and these two are by far the most efficient options...

Water Heater Comparison chart here:
Efficient Water Heating

I think with rebates the solar lifecycle cost might not be too much higher than the heat pump, but I haven't done the math yet.

[deek102]

Originally Posted by egeorge

We are considering a system for our house. There are federal and CPS rebates available, so the time to do it is now. What have been your experiences? What collector type would you recommend and what company would you recommend? I am familiar with the other heater types but the only other option we would consider would be a heat pump water heater but I have heard little about them so far. Our primary consideration is to minimize KWh/hrs used and these two are by far the most efficient options...

Water Heater Comparison chart here:
Efficient Water Heating

I think with rebates the solar lifecycle cost might not be too much higher than the heat pump, but I haven't done the math yet.

Not quite the same thing, but I looked at the instant-hot water heaters when I was considering a water heater replacement. They just take too long to pay for themselves. Even Consumer Reports couldn't recommend them outright b/c of the length of time for ROI.

It really depends on your usage and how long you plan to stay in your house. If you don't plan on dying there I'm not sure it's worth it.... yet.

I'd love to switch to something more "green" (i.e. more green in my pocket!) but it just doesn't seem economical yet.

like the OP asks, if anyone has experience, tips, etc I'd love to hear them as well!!

[egeorge]

The tankless water heaters you mention are a good option if you have gas but the electric ones aren't really worth the investment compared to solar or heat pump systems. Our subdivision has no gas so that isn't an option for us.

I did some more research on the heat pump water heaters and they seem to be a really good option for our area. They actually are added onto an existing electric water heater. They are about 50% more efficient and pay for themselves in about 3 years. One extra perk is as a heat pump it produces cool air as a byproduct you can use to cool your garage or add ducting to the house to supplement your A/C. I understand GE is coming out with a water heater with an integrated heat pump that should be out in October, but I don't think our WH is going to last that long. So does anyone here have any experience with the heat pump systems?