Lowering Your Home's Energy Footprint...
This evening I heard on the news that Capetown, South Africa, is the first major city to face a water shortage so severe the city might run out of water entirely. That made me think of how we use our natural resources, so when I came across this blog post by Phyllis Lerner, I paid attention.
Using our resources is quite different than squandering/wasting them. Take some wise steps and you might help your pocketbook as well as our resources.
Hot Water Costs
According to energy pros, heating and keeping water hot can make up to 40% of a home's energy consumption. So, here are a couple of options to reduce the cost to do so:
- Replace your conventional water heater with a tankless one. These unique and very compact systems are able to heat cold water in an instant and keep it hot for only as long as needed. This incredible efficiency means you can see an up to 50 percent savings on your utility bill. They are also very eco-friendly because they reduce carbon emissions. The only drawback to these units is their initial installation cost. Most tankless units are 2-3 times more expensive than conventional ones. However, this increased start up cost may be acceptable to you since tankless heaters last nearly twice as long as regular water heaters, and of course provide substantial savings every month on your utility bill.
- Another less expensive step you can take toward reducing your hot water bill is to install low-flow, aerating faucets and showerheads. For the best efficiency, select a showerhead or faucet with a flow rate of less than 2.5 gallons per minute. You can use a simple and quick test to see how your current faucets and showerheads rate. Simply open a faucet (or showerhead) and catch the water flow with a bucket which is marked off in increments of gallons. If the water reaches the "one gallon" mark in less than 20 seconds, than you could stand to use a more efficient faucet or showerhead. You can reduce your hot water bill up to another 10-15%.
Another Energy Savings Tip... NOT Related To Your Hot Water Bill...
Unplug your phone/tablet/device/battery chargers when you're not using them. Many chargers continue to draw power even when there is no device connected to them!
Phyllis Lerner
Broker / Owner
Westchester County NY - Real Estate Listings, Sales, Rentals & Services
914-438-7556Voted 2010 through 2016 FIVE STAR Real Estate Agent by Westchester Magazine
(Disclaimer: Any and all grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes located within my blogs, web sites and any other content, are purely for your amusement and entertainment.)
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