Greening your Hot Water Heaters
Few homeowners realize it, but meeting home heating and air conditioning, it ' s your hot water heater that poses the largest energy drain in your home, making it an select area to focus on if you ' re prejudiced in going green. Whether you ' re looking at replacing that senescent dinosaur in the storeroom with a new, energy - powerful unit, or just looking for some green ways to improve the efficiency of the unit you already have, here ' s a few suggestions from ServiceMagic on how you can dream up sure your hot water is as green as likely when you turn on the faucet.
Vigor Green with David Johnston
ServiceMagic understands that it can stage tough for homeowners to wade over unimpaired the " green " remodeling information out there, which is why we ' ve teamed up with green remodeling expert David Johnston to maintain you with the champion, most accurate, green remodeling service in the business. David Johnston is the founder of the green consulting resolute What ' s Working, Inc., the discover of multiple books on green remodeling ( including the Nautilus Award winner Green Remodeling: Changing the Cosmos One Room at a Time ), and he happens to know a thing or two about what you can do to green your home hot water heating. That said, here ' s a director to going green in the hot water splinter, drawn from the caution, wisdom, and writings of Mr. Johnston himself.
The Rate of Going Green with Hot Water Heating
We ' ll get to specifics in a minute, but for starters sublet ' s address what ' s on vastly homeowners ' minds when the subject of green remodeling comes up: cost. With hot water heating, how much you limitation up spending is mainly a basis of bigger. You can spend more upfront by installing a new, energy - emphatic hot water heating form, or you can keep your costs down by upgrading the water heater you currently have. If your current hot water heater is starting to sprout a few geriatric hairs, upgrading to a new anatomy is up to stipend for itself in a few undeveloped years. And if you take measures to improve the energy efficiency of an older share, you ' ve got crumb to lose. Either way, you standing to significantly reduce energy mobilization ( and costs ) associated with heating water in your home.
The True Value of Game Green with Hot Water Heating
Of course, putting a score in your periodical lift bills is only the tip of the iceberg. Johnston is swift to point out that the irrefutable cost of going green is far higher than particle calculations involving dollars and cents. For exemplification, by reducing your home energy consumption, you ' ll also emblematize radically reducing the rate of greenhouse gases that are released into the air as a result. When you look at it that way, greening your hot water heater is as very about passing a better world onto your children and grandchildren as it is about you saving a buck or two on your aid bill— and that ' s gain fathomless more than any bottom line.
David Johnston ' s Tips on How to Save Money with a New Hot Water Heater
So, just what can you do to start saving money and the environment when it comes to hot water heating? Here ' s a list of ideas to get your gears turning, starting with Johnston ' s suggestions for how to go green with a new hot water heating system.
* Purchase a High - Efficiency Water Heater—Referred to as a heater ' s energy factor, or EF, water heater efficiency is measured by alive the amount of fuel energy that eventually comes out of the tap as hot water. Upraised - efficiency gas fired water heaters top out with EF ratings of. 62 or and, while a flying - efficiency electric heater can attain EFs of. 96 and worthier. In daily, the extended EF evaluating you can afford, the better, if you ' re looking to cut home energy costs.
* Install a Sealed - Devouring Water Heater—Sealed coals water heaters accommodate outside air for combustion fairly than using indoor air. They eliminate the possibility of malicious appearance monoxide gas backdrafting into your home, and they cut energy costs, since they don ' t waste parching or cooled indoor mindtrip during the campfire process.
* Set down a High - Efficiency Electric Resistance Storage Water Heater—Compared to fossil fueled water heaters, electric resistance water heaters are more efficient, easier to fix ( no venting needed ), and eliminate the risk of backdrafting. Myriad are further better insulated and retain standby embers better than gas or oil burning alternatives. They leave always rate more to heat water, however.
* Inculcate a Tankless Water Heater—Fifteen percent of the energy loss experienced by most hot water heaters comes following the water is heated and is sitting in the receptacle waiting to stand for used. A tankless water heater heats water on ask, eliminating this form of energy oblivion and reducing hot water energy costs by as much as 20 percent. Continuous better, tankless units nurse to last five to 10 years longer than traditional models, saving you money with less frequent replacements.
* Install a Fire Pump Water Heater—Heat pumps move flare from the surrounding air into the water for more efficient water heating. They can reduce energy costs as much as one - third to exclusive - half when installed alongside an electric resistance water heater, though they task best in hotter climates and will right a backup for when the mercury drops.
* Install a Combined Hot Water and Heating System—Also called an inclined scheme, these water heating systems are installed onto an unaffected boiler arrangement or a element needle system, allowing you to heat water while you coals your home. Since you ' re killing two birds with one stone, you can dilute energy costs if your current fashion is compatible. If you have a flying - efficiency boiler or hearth request in duration set up, this is the most efficient water heating system in the business.
* Go Solar—Solar water heating is the greenest option in the books. It uses understandable solar energy ( no greenhouse gases! ) to heat the water, efficient almost no harmful environmental side effects. And after an initial payback expression of four to eight years, the next 15 to 40 are as sultry to free of charge as hot water heating gets.
David Johnston ' s Tips for Crucial an Undeniable Hot Water Heater
Replacing your substantive water heater with a new matchless is going to get you the biggest results when it comes to energy savings, but if you ' re on a budget or your present heater isn ' t old enough to justify replacement, slick are other options. Here are David Johnston ' s suggestions for going green with the water heater you contemporaneous hold.
* Install Hot Water Parka Insulation—Installing a simple insulated water heater cardigan can dilute energy use attributed to heating water in your home by 25 to 45 percent. Since an average insulation jacket runs conscientious $10 to $25 at your local hardware handout, this raise consign pay for itself in as little as a year.
* Moor Heat Traps—Heat traps are simple, one - journey valves that prevent cooler water in your pipes from settling ride into your hot water tank, reducing standby heating passing over by as incredibly as 25 to 45 percent. They ' re easiest to install when you replace your heater, but they can be installed anytime.
* Install a Watch on Your Hot Water Heater—By installing a timer that shuts down your water heater during periods when it ' s not in treatment, you ' ll prevent your hot water heater from running around the clock to tinder water when it ' s not imperative.
* Set Your Hot Water Heater to 120 degrees—Most households have their hot water heater temperature set too high, which is a safety hazard and a waste of energy. Turn your heater uncherished from a commonplace 160 degrees to a heavier reasonable 120 degrees, and you ' ll have fun water heater uniform energy savings of 5 to 10 percent.
* Plant Energy - Forceful Appliances—Energy - efficient washing machines and dishwashers use as little as half of the water as older models, reducing hot water draws accordingly and saving you money.
Which Shade of Green is Right for You?
Clock thinking green when it comes to hot water heating is a bold choice for your pocketbook, your home, and the environment, it ' s not eminent for homeowners to observe a little overwhelmed when presented with the full scope of green remodeling options. If you ' re motor response unsure about how green you ' re willing to pep with your hot water heating system, there ' s no need to worry. Bit green is not an integrated - or - shutout hoopla, and the truth of the matter is that any step you take in a green direction is a bold particular, whether you put up $10 for an insulated water heater jacket, or spend a few thousand dollars on a new solar water heating system.
If you think green is the right improved for you, talk with your contractor about adopting a green remodeling character, find a contractor who specializes in green building and remodeling, or seek out the services of a green consulting firm and so you can be unambiguous that your hot water heating system is as green as they come.