Solar water heater pays off in Arizona

If somebody offered you free gas for your car, you'd gratefully accept. So why are you turning down free hot water for your home?

Up to 15 percent of your energy bill goes to heat water - but it doesn't have to. The sun can do it for free.

When it's time to replace your water heater, consider installing a solar version. Don't let the price tag - several thousand dollars compared with several hundred for a conventional water heater - scare you off. By the time you claim your federal and state tax credits and get your APS rebate as an incentive for installing such an energy-efficient device, you'll pay as little as $1,000 out of pocket for your fancy new system if your water use is average. And the Solar Store in Tucson points out you could save up to 80 percent on your water-heating bill right away. Because the sun shines so often in our state, it will supply most of the energy your home needs for hot water.

And don't worry about shivering in your morning shower if you spy the occasional rain cloud. Most solar water heaters come with a backup gas or electric heater that automatically kicks on when the sun takes a break.

If you're building a home or refinancing the one you live in, the numbers crunch out even nicer. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates you'll pay less than $20 a month for a solar water heater if you include it as part of a 30-year mortgage. On top of that, you'll get to take a federal tax deduction of $3 to $5 a month for the part of your mortgage interest that covers the water heater. So if you save more than $15 a month on your energy bill because the sun is heating your water for free, you're technically making a profit because you'll save more than you pay each month for the solar water heater.

So, how does a solar water heater work? It performs three basic operations before hot water comes out of your faucet.

First, the solar water heater absorbs heat from the sun through a solar collector that's usually mounted on the roof. Then the heater transfers heat energy from the solar collector to a water-storage tank. Finally, the heater stores the solar-heated water in an insulated tank until you need it. OK, there are a bunch of steps in between. But you don't have to be a plumber to know it makes good economic sense to take advantage of free heat at a time when energy prices are through the roof.

And solar water heaters make environmental sense, too. The less gas or electricity you spend heating your water, the less your home contributes to polluting the air and depleting our natural resources.

Romero has been in the Arizona home-building and remodeling industry for 35 years. He has a radio program from 8-11 a.m. Saturdays on KTAR-FM (92.3) in the Valley, from 10 a.m.-noon Saturdays on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson, and from 8-11 a.m. Saturdays on KAZM-AM (780) in northern Arizona. For more do-it-yourself tips, go to www.rosieonthehouse.com .

For an even cheaper solution Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at www.earth4energy.com

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