Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Do We need a furnace? & Hot Water heaters

[Elizabeth Stevenson (tamgoddess]

Ruth-

Our tank-type hot water heater runs the hot water through the forced-air
furnace system during the winter in order to better utilize the heat, and is
as efficient as can be for a 10-year-old system. I don't see why you
couldn't use hot water from a tank to heat any system with the pipes for it.
Natural gas is an efficient way of heating water; it's the sitting around in
the tank that makes it inefficient.

I don't think it's possible that a regular hot water heater could be as
efficient as an on-demand (tankless). Even if the costs worked out the same,
a hot water heater with a tank takes up an enormous amount of room that
could be better used another way. I speak from the perspective of someone
who has run out of room, of course.

-- 
Liz Stevenson
Southside Park Cohousing
Sacramento, California
tamgoddess [at] comcast.net
> From: HeidiNYS [at] aol.com

> Hi,
> 
> We're in the throes of building a new home within Cantines Island CoHo [I've
> lived here from onset; recently married, needed more room...]
> 
> Our house is having radiant floor heat.  Yesterday Steve, my husb, siad
> something that percolated in my brain.....  and the distillation of which is:
> we 
> will have a furnace for the sole purpose of heating water for the radiant
> heat.
> So, do we need a furnace?
> could this be done with a hot water heater????  On-demand or storage type??
> Anyone??  Has this been done??  this list may not be here for this type of
> question..... however, I hope someone will enjoy the question, and perhaps
> have 
> an answer/referral to someone who knows...
> 
> Next question:  on-demand hot water for regular/kitchen/bath] uses.
> We currently have regular hot water heater.  Were told when we built Cantines
> Island that hot atwer heaters are now so efficient as to parrelel on-demand
> water heaters.  anyonme know?  your experiences appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Ruth Samuels Hirsch, Cantines Island CoHo

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