Green Florida

Here’s an innovative new Energy Star-qualified product that can save you more than $300 a year on your water heating costs and qualify you for tax credits and rebates. Interested?

The new 50-gallon GeoSpring hybrid water heater by G.E. has been designed for energy efficiency. Here’s how it works: An evaporator unit on top of the GeoSpring pulls in ambient heat from the surrounding air. That heat is transferred to the water through condenser coils that spiral around the tank. During times when the ambient air isn’t warm enough and the heat pump can’t keep up with the demand for hot water, a pair of traditional electric heating elements kick in to help.

Although you get the same amount of hot water as a traditional electric water heater provides, you can reduce water heating expenses up to 62 percent, the company says. And that can add up. “Water heating is one of the largest energy consumers in a home,” says Chris Swisher with Custom Distributors in Tampa.  

So, what kind of dollars are we talking about? G.E. says about $320 per year, based on U.S. Department of Energy testing. In addition, the GeoSpring qualifies homeowners for a 30 percent federal tax credit as well as numerous government and utility incentives. “The green builders that I’ve talked to have been very impressed with the GeoSpring, and I have customers asking their builders about it,” says Swisher. “It’s a technology that I think will stay.”

The GeoSpring electric heat pump water heater has an electronic back-lit LCD display; its control panel is simple and flexible. “There are five different settings,” says Dave Acker, area sales manager for G.E. “It’s very interactive with the consumer.”

The most efficient eHeat mode operates only the heat pump to heat the water, while the High Demand mode alerts the system in advance that it will be experiencing larger water demand than usual—especially useful when you have a houseful of guests.

Plus, there’s a vacation setting that drops the temperature set point to 50 degrees to conserve energy while no one’s home. The unit can be programmed to automatically resume heating the day before the homeowners return, so hot water will be immediately available.

In the Hybrid, eHeat and High Demand modes, the water heater moves air through the system and out the back of the unit. An air filter protects the evaporator from accumulating dirt and dust and can be wiped clean when needed.

Although the GeoSpring is taller than standard G.E. electric water heaters, it installs just like a conventional water heater. A drain or pump is needed to remove the water that condenses during operating. The GeoSpring uses existing water and electrical connections, making it a decent upgrade when you replace your existing water heater.

“It’s a great product for new construction but it fits in the same footprint that a typical hot water heater sits in, so it’s a product that will easily fit into existing homes,” says Acker. “The big benefit is the energy savings. It’s very impactful on your monthly utility bills.” 

IT DOESN’T GET ANY GREENER THAN THIS
There’s also a new eco-friendly countertop option. Marblestone is recycled natural stone that has been crushed, pressed, heated and bonded with a small amount of resin.

“Most people don’t realize that much of the granite and other stone that is extracted from the earth ends up being discarded, says Dan O’Donnell with Cutting Edge Granite, which has showrooms in Tampa, Largo and Fort Myers. “Marblestone is made of granite and marble scraps that would normally go into a landfill. It doesn’t get any more green than that.”

The slabs are considered composite materials, which can be stronger than natural materials.

It looks like marble, O’Donnell says, but there’s little maintenance. It’s less pervious to moisture and is more scratch- and stain-resistant than natural stone or cultured marble and needs no special cleaning or polishing. A mild household cleaner or soapy water works just fine.

Cutting Edge Granite recently added the new engineered stone to its product line. It can be used for bathroom countertops, showers, tub surrounds, table tops and even wainscoting. The product comes in several colors and different thicknesses.

The GeoSpring hybrid water heater was designed for energy efficiency and can save more than $300 a year on water-heating costs.