High Efficiency Water Heaters Provide Hot Water for Less Heating water accounts for approximately 15% of a home’s energy use. High efficiency water heaters use 10 to 50% less energy than standard models, saving homeowners money on their bills. Actual energy savings from high-efficiency water heaters depend on family size, heater location, and the size […]
Flood waters covered our food stored on shelves and in cabinets. What can I keep and what should I throw out? Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water. Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into […]
Part 2 of Geothermal Energy: Power from the Depths of the Earth. Geothermal energy delivers some powerful environmental and economic benefits. If you live in an area that uses geothermal resources for electricity production, you’re quite fortunate. Consider Lake County, California, which is home to many of the geothermal power plants at our nation’s best-developed […]
Part 4 of Energy-Efficient Water Heating. Most consumers use more hot water in the evenings and mornings than at other times of the day. For those who have an electric water heater, this usage contributes to the electric utility company’s “peak load,” or the largest amount of power demand that they have to meet on […]
Part 3 of Energy-Efficient Water Heating. Reducing hot-water usage is primarily a matter of common sense and exerting a little extra effort to not be wasteful. Once you have applied a few simple, low-cost measures for reducing hot-water consumption, you may want to consider water-heating system improvements if you wish to further reduce your energy […]
Part 2 of Energy-Efficient Water Heating. Generally, four destination points in the home are recognized as end uses for hot water: faucets, showers, dishwashers, and washing machines. Now, you do not have to take cold showers, dine on dirty dishes, or wear dirty clothes to reduce your hot water consumption. Less radical measures are available […]
Part 1 of Energy-Efficient Water Heating. The next time you pay your utility bill, try one simple calculation. Divide the total amount by seven. The result is the amount you spend to heat your water. (If you receive separate utility bills for gas and electricity, use the gas bill for this calculation if you have […]
Part 5 of Selecting a New Water Heater. A home’s space-heating system can also be used to heat water. Two types of water heaters that use this system are tankless coil and indirect. No separate storage tank is needed in the tankless coil water heater because water is heated directly inside the boiler in a […]
Part 1 of Selecting a New Water Heater. Many homeowners wait until their water heater fails before shopping for a replacement. Because they are in a hurry to regain their hot water supply, they are often unable to take the time to shop for the most energy-efficient unit for their specific needs. This is unfortunate, […]
Part 7 of Heat Your Water With The Sun. The costs of maintaining your solar thermal system depend on the type of technology you choose and how often temperatures in your area fall below freezing. Properly maintaining your system will keep it running smoothly. Passive systems do not require much maintenance. For active systems, discuss […]