Water Heater Politics

[magnets]

Does anyone else think that politics are involved on those yellow tags that estimate the annual cost of water heaters? Here's a story about an installation.
<p>The yellow tag was far less on the gas water heater than on the electric water heater, but the actual price was the reverse. Part of the reason for the significant difference was the fixed charges for service, but even the price for the energy product - in the same area of the country - was way too low for gas.
<p>Perhaps the oil/gas industry pays their lobbyists better than the electric folks?

[SSN596]

Well, I think the write of the story is way off base. First, there is no PARTY political interest here, energy is a GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY issue for better or worse.

Few people have the luxury, or would go to the expense, of installing a gas WH and an electric, and alternating. Any utility is going to charge start-up and shut down fees. You would't expect the other ratepayers to absorb that administrative overhead just so you can shop around monthly.

The yellow energy tags are not perfect. They are a means of comparing one unit with another. The tags are national, so they do state right on the tag what the average cost of the gas or electric they are based on. The burden is on the consumer to educate himself on the rates in his area. In my area, the yellow tags far underestimate the electric charges, since we pay far above the national avg. for elect.

In areas where electricity is very expensive, it is usually a no brainer. Virtually all appliances are gas....heat, stove, WH. If you live downstream of Hoover Dam, and elect. is cheap, then you have a choice.

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