Tag Archives: renovation

Tank less hot water heater

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With cost of utilities set to increase this year again, being efficient with energy use is always top of mind.   One of the ways you could save on your energy bills is by going the tank less hot water heater route.  Just to clarify, the traditional way to supply hot water is by using a tank type system, where the water (40 gallons and up) is heated in a reserve tank that is available anytime.  A tank less system on the other hand heats up water on demand (there are some hybrid models as well).

There are multiple factors to look at when deciding on this upgrade.  We will discuss the two crucial ones below:

  • Flow GPM(gallons per minute)

What is this? This is the amount of water that is being used.  To calculate how much water a fixture is using, take a measuring cup and measure how much water you have filled up in one minute.  This will translate in the desired GPM (Gallons per minute).  The following is typical usage per application:

Typical shower:  1.5 to 2.0 GPM
Typical bath faucet:  2.0 to 3.0 GPM
Bathroom vanity sink faucet:  0.5 to 1.5 GPM
Kitchen sink faucet;  1.0 to 2.2 GPM
Clothes washer:  1.5 to 3.0 GPM

For a comparison basis, a with a typical shower of 2.0 GPM, a 40 gallon tank from a tank type system will have water available for 20 minutes ( a very long shower). Given that most households have dishwashers, laundry, and multiple bathrooms, at least a 3.5 GPM or higher heater would be recommended.

  • Temperature Rise (TR)

What is this? This is the difference between the temperature of the water coming into the house (supplied by the city) and the temperature of the hot water required.

Why is this important? The flow rate of tank less water heater systems depend on temperature rise.  All manufacturers will supply this information.

For example (and the eyes are starting to glaze over) :  Given the desired temperature is 110 degrees Fahrenheit in a case where the water temperature from the city is 75 degrees, the temperature rise is 35 degrees.  Let’s say at this temperature rise a given tank less system delivers 7 GPM.  If the water temperature from the city is 35 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature rise will be 75.  At this rise, the same system might only deliver 4 GPM.  This is a very important concept when choosing a system.

As with anything that will save money, the upfront costs are higher (why should the homeowner pocket the savings instead of the manufacturer).  But the fact remains, energy prices are going to increase over time and investing in an energy efficient system should reduce the operating cost of the home.

There are multiple factors to look at when deciding on this upgrade. We will discuss the two crucial ones below:

Q&A Time – How much does it cost to renovate?

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Q: How much does it cost to renovate?

I recently purchased a 2,200sqft home as an investment,  but now I have decided to use the home as my main residence.  I have a very high end taste and the home is worthy of high end furnishings.  I have $300k set a side for renovation, and furnishings, how much will it cost me to furnish the home?

A:

I get this question all the time and there is no fast, quick, and magic number per square foot. It all comes down to the extent of your renovation project coupled with the finishes you prefer. Labour costs will vary according to where you are located.

Currently our costs in Canada are higher than what would be found in the US. The best advice I could give you, is start with a budget and a list of the things that you need to have done and what you could put off later (define your scope). Having said that, the more renovation projects you have done at the same time the more savings’ you could realize.
In any event good luck and have fun with it!

Control your home heating with a cool thermostat

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When Nest Labs announced their new thermostat we got excited.  A very sleek design coupled with a very simple functionality.  It learns your program as you use it.  Their website states “No more programming, no more constantly changing the temperature. The Nest™ Learning Thermostat™ programs itself in a week to keep you comfortable and save energy”.  

As with any product these days, the lawsuits are imminent. As reported on Reuters, Thermostat spat puts old heat on new cool, Honey well accused Nest Labs of stealing its ideas. Where ever this might end up, the bottom line is that Nest Labs made the everyday thermostat sexy, cool, and ea sier to use. While doing PDIs (pre delivery inspection) many new homeowners’ eyes get glazed over when we attempt to explain a programmable thermostat for the first time.

With the heating/cooling system being the most important systems in your home, having flexible control over it is key to its optimal operation. Overall this new gadget is something to watch out for in the future.


As

with any product these days, the lawsuits are imminent. As reported on Reuters