A waste heat recovery unit can keep you from paying the electric company twice. Right now, you are paying the electric company to run your air conditioner and you are paying your electric company to heat water for your shower, dishwasher and laundry.
A waste heat recovery unit installed between the air conditioning unit and the water heater will take the excess heat from your A/C and use it to heat your water. Energy Star states water heating represents about 14% of a homes electric bill each month. A waste heat recovery unit is one way to help reduce monthly electric costs.
Waste heat recovery units are simple devices. A small pump is connected to your water heater. Then when your A/C turns on, the coolest water from your water heater is brought out to the heat exchanger where it is heated by the hot refrigerant from your air conditioner. Then the heated water is returned to your water heater.
According to HotSpot Energy, high SEER air conditioning units still take the same amount of heat from indoors and move it outdoors even though they aren’t using as much electricity as older units. In a climate like Southwest Florida, with a cooling season of 80% or higher, high SEER HVAC systems with waste heat recovery water heating is a smart investment.
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