Outsider Tip of the Week
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According to the Environmental Protection Agency, water heaters account for 18% of your energy bill… and that doesn’t include the cost of the water you are heating. To drop the cost, you have several options… If you have an old water heater, replacing it with a newer, more efficient model is a great start. If you own an efficient model, turn down the temperature. For most people, 120 degrees (F) is more than warm enough. And here’s another option: Solar water heaters have become incredibly efficient. And the return on investment can be as low as two to four years. There are passive systems that use natural convection to circulate water and active systems that use pumps. Both normally contain a back-up heat source to make sure you never run out. In colder climates, you can even have water lines running alongside your chimney to capture some of the extra heat. In warm climates, you can provide up to 85% of your household’s hot water at little to no cost after installation. Check out the Department of Energy’s resources on Solar Water Heaters here. |
