Voltex^® Hybrid Electric Heat Pump

Features

• Absorbs environmental heat and transfers it to the water, at the same time cooling and dehumidifying the ambient air
• With an 80-gallon tank, more energy is created through the heat pump technology, resulting in larger savings
• Four operation modes: high efficiency, hybrid, electric and vacation
• User-friendly LCD display for easy interaction
• Conserves energy thanks to 2.4 Energy Factor (EF)
• ENERGY STAR® qualified
• Available in 60 and 80-gallon models

Receive a $300 REBATE from GULF POWER after purchase/installation!

Call 850-314-7567 to have yours installed!

Comparing Fuel Costs

To estimate your water-heating bill, locate the price you pay for gas, electricity or propane on the charts below: (Based on general energy prices)

 Here's a comparison of what various water heaters with different Energy Factors could cost to operate each year, using a consistent price for energy. Note the savings compared to the 0.53 model over the 13-year life expectancy of a water heater. Energy savings are based on the average use of a family of four.

Comparing Fuel Costs



It's Your Money

Whichever type of water heater you buy - either gas or electric - look for a unit with a higher energy factor. It may cost more initially, but the energy (and your money) savings may more than make up for the higher sticker price. Consider the price difference and how long it would take to recover the money through energy savings.

For example, say a gas water heater with an energy factor of 0.57 sells for $129, while one with an energy factor of 0.61 sells for $145. To begin with, you'll spend $16 more for the model with the higher energy factor, but it will save you almost $11 a year in the natural gas. You have recovered your initial $16 investment within 18 months. Over the estimated life of the water heater, you should save an additional $125.

As you can see, spending more up-front for a more efficient water heater - one with a higher Energy Factor - can mean major savings over the life of the appliance!

Water Tank Leakage

Water heater tanks may be made of vitreous enamel-lined carbon steel, stainless steel, or copper. Vitreous-lined tanks are much lower in initial cost, and often include one or more sacrificial anode rods designed to protect the tank from perforation caused by corrosion.

Such protection is necessary since chlorinated hot water is very corrosive to carbon steel, and it is nearly impossible to apply any protective coating perfectly, without small cracks or pinhole defects in the protective layer.

Manufacturers may recommend checking the sacrificial anode rod periodically and replacing it when necessary; some manufacturers offer an extended warranty kit that includes an additional anode rod. Common practice in the US is to neglect this maintenance until the tank develops a leak, and then to replace the entire appliance.

Even when neglected, carbon steel tanks tend to last for a few years more than their manufacturer's warranty, which is typically 3 to 12 years in the US.

Because conventional hot water storage tanks can be expected to leak every 5 to 15 years, high-quality installations will include, and most US building/plumbing codes now require, a shallow metal or plastic pan to collect the inevitable seepage when it occurs. Such a pan should be connected to a drain, or plumbed to discharge directly outdoors.

When this is difficult or impossible, an alternative precaution to reduce flood damage is to place some sort of water alarm on the floor near the water tank, possibly connected to an automatic water shutoff valve.

Water heater tanks should be installed with physical access in mind, both for inspection and replacement of the long anode rod, and for the eventual replacement of the entire tank.

Water Heater Safety

Water heaters potentially can explode and cause significant damage, injury, or death if certain safety devices are not installed. When the water temperature exceeds 100 °C (212 °F), the water will remain a liquid inside the tank, but when the pressure is released as the water comes out the tap the water will boil, potentially inflicting steam burns. Water above about 88 °C (190 °F) will cause burns on contact.

A safety device called a temperature and pressure relief (T&P or TPR) valve, is normally fitted on the top of the water heater to dump water if the temperature or pressure becomes too high. Most plumbing codes require that a discharge pipe be connected to the valve to direct the flow of discharged hot water to a drain, typically a nearby floor drain, or outside the living space. Some building codes will allow for the discharge pipe to terminate in the garage.

If a gas or propane fired water heater is installed in a garage, it is recommended, and many codes require, that it be elevated at least 18 inches (0.46 m) above the floor to reduce the potential for fire or explosion due to spillage or leakage of combustible liquids in the garage. Furthermore, certain local codes mandate that tank-type heaters in new and retrofit installations must be secured to an adjacent wall by a strap or anchor to prevent tipping over and breaking the water and gas pipes in the event of an earthquake.

For older houses where the water heater is part of the space heating boiler, and plumbing codes allow, some plumbers will install a Watts 210 device in place of a TPR valve. When the device senses that the temperature reaches 99 °C (210 °F), it will shut off the gas supply and prevent further heating. In addition, an expansion tank or exterior pressure relief valve must be installed to prevent pressure buildup in the plumbing from rupturing pipes, valves, or the water heater.

Scalding is a serious concern with any water heater. Human skin burns quickly at high temperature in about 5 seconds at 60 °C/140 °F, but much slower at 53 °C/127 °F it takes a full minute for a first degree burn. Older people and children often receive serious scalds due to disabilities or slow reaction times.

In the United States and elsewhere it is common practice to put a tempering valve on the outlet of the water heater. A tempering valve mixes enough cold water with the hot from the heater to keep the outgoing water temperature fixed, often set to 50 °C. Without a tempering valve, reduction of the water heater's setpoint temperature is the most direct way to reduce scalding. However, for sanitation, hot water is needed. Most residential dishwashing machines, for example, include an electric heating element for increasing the water temperature above that provided by water heaters. The result of mixing hot and cold water via a tempering valve is also referred to as tempered water.