Solar Water Heaters = GREEN

An ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heating system can cut your annual hot water costs in half, and is generally designed for use with an electric or gas back-up water heater. Demonstrate your environmental leadership by voting with your wallet for renewable energy solutions. Purchase an ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heater for your home and enjoy these benefits:

Save money. By using sunshine to heat or preheat your water, you can cut your water heating bill in half. This means you can save $190 annually if you combine solar with a backup gas-storage water heater instead of using the gas water heater alone. If you have an electric tank water heater for back-up, you'll save about $250 each year on electricity bills. Large families with greater hot water needs can save even more.

Invest in a better environment. Water heated by the sun just feels better. The purchase of a solar system can take about 10 years to pay for itself, but by taking advantage of Federal tax credits you can recoup the price premium more quickly. In the meantime, your investment will pay dividends for the environment. ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heaters can cut your carbon dioxide emissions in half. Installing a qualified solar water heater will reduce the load of your electric water heater by almost 2,500 kWh per year, preventing 4,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually. This is the equivalent of not driving your car for four months every year!

Long lifetime. The average life expectancy of qualified solar water heating systems is 20 years, much longer than standard gas or electric storage water heaters.

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