Plumbing - Go Green

There are many things you can do to reduce your utility bills and help the environment by conserving resources.

Let us count the ways:

Water Heaters
Water heating is the second biggest energy consumer in the average home, second only to space heating. In general, water heating energy saving measures are inexpensive and effective all year round. Today's best water heaters are far more energy efficient that those even a few short years ago.

There are numerous factors to consider when choosing a new water heater, including type, capacity, efficiency, and cost.

While storage water heaters are most common, there are a number of other types of water heaters, including tankless water heaters, that may suit your needs.
ppp

Tankless Water Heaters Offer:
• Unlimited supply of hot water on demand
• Typically 30% more energy efficient than a traditional water heater
• Advanced technology allows for 82% efficiency
• On-demand performance reduces water heating costs by up to 50% in most households
• Copper heat exchanger is coated to prevent corrosion and deterioration increasing the life above ordinary water heaters
• Low emission technology reduces the CO and NOx emissions making the air inside your home cleaner and healthier
• Advanced valve system maintains a constant temperature while the digital control panel allows for precise control of the water temperature
• Capacity - Don't buy a water heater bigger than you need. Although some consumers base their purchase on the size of the storage tank, the peak hour demand (or first-hour rating, FHR) is actually more important. The FHR is the measure of how much hot water the heater will deliver in an hour and is required by law to appear on the Energy Guide label. Your All Comfort Services Technician will perform a capacity test to determine the right size water heater for your home.

Insulate Your Pipes
The escaping heat from exposed pipes makes it more difficult to keep the water hot and the house cool. Insulating the pipes is inexpensive, and the payback period is usually less than a year.

Flow Restrictors
Flow restrictors for the showerhead can cut the water flow from around seven gallons a minute in the heaviest volume showers, to as little as a gallon and a half a minute. On average, they will cut your total energy expenditure for hot water by about 44 %. All flow restrictors cut the amount of water you use, without cutting back on pressure.

Aerators
Other devices that can help to conserve water are aerators. The aerator simply reduces the amount of water in the flow. There will be a slight reduction in flow pressure, but it will barely be noticeable. To install aerators on your faucets, simply screw the aerator onto the end of your tap.

The Bathroom
• Shower - It takes 30 gallons of water to fill the average bathtub. If you shower instead and have an average flow of about four gallons a minute, a five-minute shower only uses 20 gallons of water. In addition, if the water is a half and half mix of hot/cold water, you will save five gallons of hot water every time you substitute a shower for a bath.
• Let Bath Water Cool - If you decide to take an occasional bath, also take advantage of the warm water. Allow the warm water to cool before you drain it. A hot tub of water could give off enough heat to warm your whole house for an hour or so.
• Shampoo in the Shower - For those with long hair, shampooing should be done while in the shower instead of a separate time in the sink.
• Electric Shave - For those that shave, be sure to plug the drain while shaving and only draw enough hot water to get the job done. This will save a few dollars on fuel bills over a year.

The Laundry Room
• Full Loads - Perhaps the best thing you can do is save up your laundry until you can wash nothing but full loads. Doing this, you will use your laundry appliances less often, and you will use them at peak efficiency.
• Cold Water - Also, try to use cold water for most loads and always use cold water to rinse.
• Suds Saver - Some washers have special suds saver features. which allow you to use one tubful of hot water for two or more loads of laundry. The suds savers leave about an inch of water in the storage tub in which the dirt and soil from the previous load has settled.

The Kitchen
• If it’s full, your dishwasher is going to use 14 gallons whether you have one or 50 dishes in it.
• Scrape Before Loading - Be sure to scrape the dishes before loading them. This will allow you to skip the hot rinse.
• Do Not Use the Rinse-hold - You will be able to save three to seven more gallons of hot water if you don't use the "rinse hold" setting on your dishwasher.
• Air-Dry the Dishes - Also, let your dishes air-dry. If you don't have an automatic "air dry" switch on your dishwasher, then turn it off after the final rinse. Then prop open the door.

Home | About Us | Services | The Comfort Lounge | Contact Us | News

All Comfort Services is located at 5245 Voges Road, Madison, WI 53718
©2010 All Comfort Services Inc.