Later this fall when your state’s Appliance Stimulus Package is approved you may be able to get a $50 – $200 rebate for replacing an old water heater. Today most Americans have a water heater that is about as efficient as water heaters that were sold 20 years ago. We use hot water every day and the costs of providing the hot water is second only to heating and cooling. A typical 2.6 person household spends $400 – $600 per year on hot water. Upgrading your water heater to a new Energy Star water heater could save $30 – $290 on your water heating bill every year.

Older water heaters do not have the thick foam insulation that today’s modern water heaters have so the stand by heat loss is higher. Many water heaters from the 1990’s when there was a run of defective dip tubes are still in use with the owners wondering why they run out of hot water. The bad dip tube allows incoming cold water to mix with the hot water leaving the tank. The Appliance Stimulus Package rebates will give you money to replace that old inefficient or, broken water heater with a new Energy Star Water Heater and the Appliance Stimulus Package rebate coupled with the energy savings can pay off the new water heater.

When a water heater fails it is usually an emergency situation and you do not take the time to select the most efficient way of heating your water. The water heater simply gets replaced and often with the most inefficient one. Now is a great time to start looking at what is available in the line up of Energy Star Appliance Stimulus Package eligible water heaters to save you money. There are many new technologies as well as some that are old but much more refined than they were 20 years ago. By taking your time and looking at the Energy Star water heater options you can cut your water heating bill in half.

Some of the Appliance Stimulus Package eligible water heaters to consider would include high efficiency gas storage, gas condensing water heaters, solar water heaters, and heat pump water heaters. High efficiency gas storage water heaters are a lot like your old gas water heater except the burner is more efficient and the tank has better insulation. Gas condensing water heaters simply have the flue gases from the burner go through a long heat exchanger to soak all the available heat out of the flue gases before venting them out side. Solar uses the power of the sun to heat your water but also require a back up water heating system to produce water at night and during long cloudy periods where there is not enough sunlight to provide your water heating needs. Heat pump water heaters are a lot like a refrigerator running in reverse. Using a refrigeration type system heat from the air in your home is pumped into the water heater.

Whatever system you choose that will work best in your application now is the time to take advantage of the Appliance Stimulus Program rebates, Weatherization Assistance Program grants if you qualify and get ready to save on your water heating bill.