1.) The power company is going to sell me a smart meter ...
... let me peek at my gift.
Here's how a smart meter works: With privatized electric service, you pay $430 for meter and radio, plus you pay for electricity to run it. The electric company moves local people off the payroll and sells you a meter not manufactured in your town. The electric company uses wireless radio to read your meter and/or disconnect your service from office located where labor is cheapest. The company can watch your electric comings-and-goings and create 'new products' that target your patterns. The switch controlling your home electricity will be in the hands of people who are unavailable for comment, possibly overseas depending on who bought your contract in the latest Wall Street play.
While local jobs are shopped around the globe, electric customers can purchase in-home monitor and watch their meter at static 15-minute intervals. This is NOT a live feed of electric consumption because the radio only broadcasts 15-minute intervals. The electric company dreams of rolling-out future meter-enabled services that cost a monthly fee. Most likely 'new product' will be peak-billing that peaks just as you arrive home from work.
What is your benefit? You can go outside every 15 minutes and watch the meter free right now. Cutting local workers and importing a smart meter will not turn-off appliances. The physics is simple: if the electric appliance gets warm or hot, it uses mucho electricity. That means your Heat/AC > big-screen TV > clothes dryer > and water heater >>> each of these comes with a switch except the water heater.
Where is your money in this deal? Any savings you expect will come at the generosity of a billing entity. Call the company's offshore rep and find out what you get. Stop waiting for the CEO to skewer your family. Give yourself direct savings by putting in a water heater timer.
2.) I want a tankless 'on-demand' heater...
| .. except they are made overseas and can NOT be repaired by the homeowner |
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Takagi TK1 |
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Bosch
1600P |
You can save more more money and more energy with a few changes on your conventional tank heater see
Here's the research on tankless:
Tankless water heaters are not built in your town. They are high tech gadgets. The electronics inside cannot get wet. They are prone to lime build-up. Problems are difficult to diagnose. Parts are not interchangeable. Whereas conventional water heaters can usually be repaired, when a tankless stops working, normally the whole thing is replaced and more dollars flow overseas.
Electric type: Whole house tankless electric does NOT save money vrs conventional tank heater. Operation requires four 30 amp circuit breakers to produce enough BTUs to heat water as it passes in a pipe see.
Gas type: Whole house tankless gas saves $1 - $8 a month depending on amount of hot water used. See hidden costs. Expensive to retrofit for tankless when home has regular tank heater. Requires nearby 1-1/4" gas line because tankless consumes more BTUs to heat water than regular tank. Requires 5" stainless steel flue pipe because of additional heat. This is not a do-it-yourself project.
Operation: Despite broad verbal claims, nowhere does warranty say that tankless last longer than regular water heater. Tankless units rely on high-tech precision making them susceptible to water pressure issues and particulate in water. Water-softener is often required, adding another monthly expense. Unlike regular tank heaters, tankless units have computer chip and electronics that cannot get wet. Your dealer/plumber might need a computer interface like a car repair shop to diagnose problems. Regular tank is easy to fix and maintain.
Energy: On-demand heaters consume large quantities of BTUs as water flows past in a pipe. Savings comes from using less hot water, and from setting unit to account for seasonal incoming water temperature. Tip for saving money in cold climates: install staging tank so water starts at room temperature.
By comparison, save more money dial down thermostat and insulate regular tank <> For each 10º reduction, save 3-5% operating cost. Insulate and save 4-9%.
A timer installed on regular water heater is not high-tech. A timer does not require replacement. A timer is made from off-the-shelf parts. You CAN do-it-yourself. The savings start now. The payback is 1 year or less. Your existing heater will last longer and remain efficient longer. A timer is low-cost savings straight to you that requires no maintenance or replacement of equipment.
Well, a timer works like the circuit breaker. It never touches the water heater. It simply gives your water heater a well-earned rest each day. A timer will prolong life of your water heater while saving money.
Decisions were made in a cheaper era that water heaters should run full-time with no switch or control.
See: Is a timer right for me?
TV
Answer: A TV CEO
will yell and scare until you buy a
smart meter or tankless heater or some other product thinking these
things are in your benefit.
But a CEO will never tell you about a water heater timer because a
timer is a
low-cost, low-tech benefit straight to you.