Replacement Decisions

User: hfortmiller@gmail.com

Vendor: None

Action: 3062 - Install Solar

When a big item wears out, we are trying to give thought to our carbon footprint and how best to replace the item.  Our hot water heater started to leak after 20 years, so we decided to replace it with an on-demand hot water heater which doesn't have to keep a 60 to 80-gallon tank of water always hot.  When a car was ready to replace, electric vehicles were too expensive to consider, so we purchased a hybrid, with signifricant help from federal and state tax credits.  With a charge on a household outlet giving us over 30 miles of electric driving, we can do our local errands without gasoline.  We usually buy gas only for occasional long trips.  We run one hybrid at 135 miles per gallon, another at 80 mpg.  And our small solar array offsets hybrid energy needs.  When we need to replace a hybrid, we expect new and used all-electric vehicles will be more affordable.   We live in a very old house, so as energy wasters wear out, we'll do our best to find energy-saving replacements.