- Did the same flush dance for a while—felt like I was just delaying the inevitable. Eventually swapped mine out for a tankless (bit the eco-bullet, ouch my wallet). But honestly, the energy savings and endless hot showers have been worth it.
- Curious though, anyone here tried solar water heating setups? I've been eyeing them lately but still on the fence if they're practical or just another green gimmick...
"Curious though, anyone here tried solar water heating setups? I've been eyeing them lately but still on the fence if they're practical or just another green gimmick..."
Looked into solar setups myself a while back. They're legit, but really depend on your climate and roof orientation. Buddy of mine in Arizona swears by his, but here in cloudy Seattle... not so much.
Solar water heating can definitely be practical, provided you set realistic expectations. Like mentioned earlier:
"They're legit, but really depend on your climate and roof orientation."
That's spot-on advice. If you're somewhere sunny most of the year, you'll see noticeable savings and efficiency gains. Even in less ideal climates, it can still supplement your regular heater nicely. I installed one a couple years back—initial costs were steep, but long-term savings are slowly adding up. Just do thorough research on local incentives and rebates to ease the upfront sting...
Solar setups are great in theory, but honestly, they can be finicky depending on your local water quality too. A buddy of mine installed a solar water heater around the same time as me—he's loving it, but my area's water is super hard, and I've already had to flush and descale the system twice. Savings are nice, sure, but factor in extra maintenance if your water's rough...
Fair points, but honestly, hard water's a headache no matter what system you're running—solar or traditional.
- Had tenants in a place with a standard electric heater, and the element was caked in scale within a year.
- Installed a decent water softener, and maintenance dropped way off.
- Solar setups can be touchy, sure, but if you're serious about long-term savings, tackling the water quality first might be smarter.
- Otherwise, you'll just keep chasing your tail with flushing and repairs...
