Green home upgrades – Hot Water! What are my options?

Green Home

This will be the first of many posts on Going Green for the home. I will be covering all aspects of home remodeling, new construction, and just upgrading systems in the home.

In this post let’s discuss Hot Water options. An area of the home where we use a lot of energy, weather you are using Natural gas or electric, we want to find ways to save energy and save you some money.

The first and simplest way to save energy and money without spending a dime is to use less hot water!

Some other simple things that you can do:

1. Take showers instead of baths and take shorter showers

2. Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes

3. lower the thermostat on your hot water heater, (reset the temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit) also insulate your water heater

4. drain your hot water heater -  Hot water heaters can collect sediments hindering heat transfer and reducing the tank’s efficiency. Therefore, every three months drain at least a quart of water from your hot water heater to get rid of the sediment buildup

7. If you can, purchase new energy efficient appliances, ie: dishwasher, clothes washer they use less energy and less water

On a larger scale think about upgrading your water heater. There are many cost saving options.

ENERGY STAR water heaters are now available that can cut your hot water heating costs by 30%, 50%, or even more. There are five different technologies available, and depending on your location and your existing hot water system, one or more of these ENERGY STAR water heater technologies may be worth your while to invest in

• Gas storage water heaters
• Gas tankless water heaters
• Gas condensing water heaters
• Heat pump water heaters
• Solar hot water heaters (with at least 50% of the heat coming from solar energy)

Don’t wait until your old hot water heater is broken to look into getting a new ENERGY STAR water heater. The time to plan is now.

Which type of hot water heater is right for you? That depends on a number of factors:

Your current setup. If you don’t have a natural gas line, then heat pump or solar hot water with electric backup are your best options.

Your financial situation. Heat pump and solar hot water heaters are the most cost effective but also the most costly. Gas storage water heaters are the cheapest to buy and to install, but offer the least efficiency gain of all ENERGY STAR water heaters.

Space considerations. Tankless gas hot water heaters take the least space. But in my experience they come with some inconveniences.

Your energy saving ambitiousness. If you truly want to do the maximum to cut your energy use, then a heat pump water heater or solar water heater is going to give you the most energy savings.

Gas storage water heaters

If you already heat your hot water with gas, you almost certainly have a gas storage water heater. This is your typical hot water tank heated by natural gas or propane. What is the difference between the unit you now have, and a high efficiency ENERGY STAR water heater using the same basic design?

Better insulation

Improved heat traps

More efficient burners

If you need a new gas storage water heater, ask for one that’s earned the ENERGY STAR and start enjoying these benefits:

Save yourself some cash. Choose an ENERGY STAR qualified gas storage model instead of a standard model and save about $30 a year. Over the 13-year lifetime of the water heater that’s about $360. Larger families can save even more money.

Make a good investment that protects the environment, too. The energy savings will recoup the modest price premium in about two and a half years. But this investment also helps the planet. If everyone in the U.S. purchasing a standard gas water heater this year chose an qualified gas storage model instead, we would prevent one billion pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, the equivalent of creating 132,000 acres of forest.

Consider if you:

Currently have a gas storage water heater that needs to be replaced.

Don’t want to make a major change and are satisfied with the style of water heater you have now.

Want routine installation and maintenance.

Are willing to pay  a little more upfront to reduce water heating bills by about 7%

A purchase that protects the environment. If everyone in the U.S. purchasing a standard gas water heater this year chose an qualified gas storage model instead, we would prevent one billion pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, the equivalent of creating 132,000 acres of forest.

Whole home gas tankless water heaters

By heating water only when you need it, ENERGY STAR qualified tankless water heaters save the typical family more than $100 per year on gas bills compared to a standard storage model. Larger families can save even more.

By heating water only when it’s needed, ENERGY STAR qualified gas tankless water heaters cut water heating expenses by 30%, while also providing continuous hot water delivery. Gas tankless models are a great choice for new construction and major remodeling, but are also becoming popular as a replacement for gas storage water heaters. See if you should make your next water heater an ENERGY STAR qualified tankless model.

Consider if you:

Are building a new home or conducting a major remodeling project.

Want a water heater with a longer lifetime

Have limited space and need a water heater that doesn’t take up much room.

Are willing to take on additional maintenance tasks or schedule a regular maintenance check every few years.

Are willing to pay more upfront to reduce water heating bills by about 30%.

 

Gas condensing water heaters

ENERGY STAR qualified gas condensing water heaters are blazing a new trail in water heating technology. If you have time to plan ahead, consider this exciting new technology for your next water heater purchase.

Being relatively new, for you and most users, condensing heating systems might need more time for installation, troubleshooting and maintenance.

Since gas condensing water heaters have the efficiency of over 90 % you don’t have to think is it energy efficient or not. They are.

Also, these models have the first-hour rating much higher than conventional heaters, with the same capacity.

Consider if you:

Are building a new home or conducting a major remodeling project.

Often run out of hot water.

Have space to accommodate a condensate drain and special venting.

Are willing to pay more upfront to reduce water heating bills by about 30%.

A purchase that protects the environment. If just five percent of the gas water heaters sold each year were ENERGY STAR qualified gas condensing models, the U.S. would avoid wasting $25 million — and 17.2 million therms of energy — each year. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, that’s equivalent to taking almost 17,000 cars off the road.

 

Electric heat pump water heaters

ENERGY STAR qualified heat pump water heaters are revolutionizing the way we heat water. New products recently introduced utilizing super-efficient technology that can cut water heating costs by more than half! If you have time to plan ahead, consider this exciting new technology for your next water heater purchase.

Qualified heat pump water heaters can save the average household almost $300 per year on its electric bills compared to a standard electric water heater. That’s enough money to go on a weekend getaway every year. Larger families — that typically use more hot water — will save even more!

While a qualified heat pump water heater costs more upfront, the savings will pay back the difference in about three years. Replace your aging electric water heater before it fails, and start enjoying the savings right away.

Consider if you:

Want to replace your existing electric water heater before it fails, but don’t need to do it right now.

Are building a new home or conducting a major remodeling project.

Are willing to pay more upfront to reduce water heating bills by about 50%. (compared to standard electric storage water heater)

Have space to accommodate a condensate drain.

A purchase that protects the environment. If everyone buying an electric water heater this year chose an ENERGY STAR qualified heat pump model instead of a standard model, we would avoid 19.6 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. That’s the equivalent of taking 1.6 million cars off the road

Solar water heaters

Sunshine is free. Imagine using it to heat your water. ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heaters can cut your water heating bills in half and reduce your carbon footprint. Install a qualified solar water heater and start wearing your eco-consciousness on your roof!

An ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heating system can cut your annual hot water costs in half, and is generally designed for use with an electric or gas back-up water heater. Demonstrate your environmental leadership by voting with your wallet for renewable energy solutions.

Water heated by the sun just feels better. The purchase of a solar system can take about 10 years to pay for itself, but by taking advantage of Federal tax credits you can recoup the price premium more quickly. In the meantime, your investment will pay dividends for the environment.

Consider if you:

Have dependable access to sunshine on your roof or immediately outside your home.

Like the idea of using a renewable energy source to heat your water

Are willing to take on additional maintenance tasks or schedule a regular maintenance check every year

Are willing to install or use an existing auxiliary electric or gas storage water heater to provide back-up on cloudy or rainy days.

Are willing to pay more upfront to reduce water heating bills by about 50%

A purchase that protects the environment. ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heaters can cut your carbon dioxide emissions in half. Installing a qualified solar water heater will reduce the load of your electric water heater by almost 2,500 kWh per year, preventing 4,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually. This is the equivalent of not driving your car for four months every year!

Choosing a water heating system is something that you should take your time with. Talk to a qualified installer and research your options. Choose what works best for you, your situation and the environment.

Go Green America!

 

 

Tags: clean, eco conscious, eco-friendly, green, Green Living Tips, gren home, How To Go Green, save energy, save green, save money, save water, solar, sustainable

Category: Go Green Construction, Go Green Home