Greener Opportunities

 Ways to “Green” your home and your wallet.

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

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.

If it's time to replace your water heater, call us at 838-7300 for more information.

Lower the Water Heater Thermostat

There is no need for you to use water that is heated to 150 degrees Fahrenheit or above. However, most electric water heaters are pre-set to at least 150 degrees. Not only is this dangerous, but it is also a waste of energy and money. We recommend you reset your electric water heater to 125 degrees.
Should you happen to run into a "hitch" in resetting your system, or would prefer to have a professional technician do it for you, call us at 838-7300 to set up an appointment.

Drain Your Water Heater

Another way to save with your water heater is by draining it on a regular basis. Unless you have soft water, it is important to drain a couple of gallons of water from the bottom of your water heater at least two times a year. Water deposits can collect on the bottom of your water-heating unit, surround the heating element and reduce efficiency. This amounts to a layer of insulation around the element, which forces it to work harder to heat the water.

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.

Anti-leak

Check your plumbing and fix any leaks or leaky faucets on a regular basis. The majority of leaky faucets only require a rubber washer.

Many energy saving strategies apply to specific areas of the home. The following will focus on three specific areas of the home where new habits can have a lasting effect on the amount of energy and money that are spent each day.

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 you 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.

Conclusion

By employing these strategies and making the minor adjustments that have been suggested, you will be able to help conserve energy, protect the environment, and begin saving money immediately. These energy saving tips have been proven to successfully cut back on energy costs, resulting in lower monthly utility bills and helping the environment along the way. All Comfort Services hopes these strategies will help you find success in your energy conservation and money saving efforts.

If you have any other questions about your plumbing systems, please contact All Comfort Services at 838-7300.

Plumbing

Please check back soon for more information about:

• Safety Advice
• Service or Inspection
• Financing

Enhance Your Home
With these products from All Comfort Services 

RINNAI – Tankless Water Heater

Next to heating and cooling, water heating is typically the largest energy user in the home. As homes have become more and more energy efficient during the last 20 years, the percentage of energy used for water heating has steadily increased. An All Comfort Service technician can help you select the water heater that can best reduce water heating costs and increase comfort in your home.

Selecting a New Water Heater

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

Type

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.

Tankless Water Heaters

• 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.

Efficiency

The energy efficiency of a storage water heater is indicated by its "Energy Factor" (EF). The higher the EF, the more efficient the water heater. Gas water heaters have an EF between 0.50 and 0.60, with some high-efficiency models around 0.80. Other features to look for are tanks with at least 1.5 inches of foam insulation and energy efficiency ratings shown on the Energy Guide labels.

Cost

It may be tempting to look for a water heater that is inexpensive and ignore the operating cost. This is a poor strategy. Often the least expensive water heaters are the most expensive to operate. A high-efficiency water heater may cost a little more initially, but reduced operating costs will more then make up for the higher outlay. Check the Energy Guide label to help choose an energy thrifty heater.

For more on this or any of our other products and services, please email us at info@allcomfortservice.com or call us at 838-7300.

Relax…We Can Handle It.           

Don’t forget to ask us about our exclusive 100% Satisfaction Guarantee!

Reverse Osmosis

We carry  reverse osmosis drinking water systems to filter out the impurities of your drinking water. The benefits include: delicious, sparkling-clean drinking water; improves flavors of coffee, tea, and juices; makes harder and cleaner ice cubes; eliminates the need for expensive bottled water; makes most foods taste better and reduces or eliminates most contaminants making your water safer to drink.

Iron Removal Systems

The Iron Curtain 2.0 can reduce iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide, and with the improved aeration head design allows for more options for oxidation and easier installation. In the new millennium we have improved our technology, received another patent and continue to strive to provide superior products and services.
 
The Iron Curtain filtration system is among the simplest, most economical and effective iron removal system available. It removes iron, sulfur, and manganese from your water. Our original Iron Curtain designed in the late 1980’s, and is the iron filter that the water treatment industry has set its standard by. Hellenbrand received our first patent in the early 1990’s.
 
The ProMate 5.0 IC2.0 guards against a multitude of water problems; Imagine . . .no more iron taste or iron stains.  No more sulfur smell; longer life for your appliances, water heater and softener.  Fresh, clean, great tasting water can be yours again.
 

Water Softener

Benefits of Water Treatment – Why Use a Water Softener

See and Feel the Difference

Your hair and skin will feel cleaner, softer and not as dry.

Taste The Difference

Removes the unpleasant taste and odors that may occupy your everyday tap water.  Enjoy the great taste of natural water. You’ll find food and beverages taste better and look better when prepared with natural water.

Cleaner Brighter Laundry

Soft water allows detergents to rinse completely. Fabrics are softer without hard water minerals trapped in them. Fabrics last longer and whites stay white without the dingy gray caused by hard water. Soft water allows you to save up to 75% on soap products simply by allowing soap to do its job. The result, clothes last up to 33% longer.

Cleaner Bathrooms, Less Labor

With soft water, you eliminate the need to scrub soap scum. Think of all the things you could be doing in place of cleaning these hard water problems!

Save Up To 30% On Water Using Appliances

Hard water minerals build up a layer of scale in your water using appliances requiring more energy for them to operate; as little as 1/8" of scale could increase your water heating costs 30%. It pays to use soft water!

H-100 Series Product Features:

• Fully assembled, ready for installation.
• Variable reserve automatically adjusts to your family’s changing water usage patterns.
• 10 selectable programming options ensure conditioned water for your family’s needs.
• Display indicates time of day and gallons remaining.
• Pre-filled brine tank with softened water reduces salt-bridging problems and cleaning of brine tank.
• Permanent memory backup of all programmed settings during power outages with no need for battery backup.
• Solid State Controller; 12-volt operation.

For more on this or any of our other products and services, please email us at info@allcomfortservice.com or call us at 838-7300.