If you have an electric water heater. Did you know that up to 25% of your electric bill goes to heating domestic hot water? And if your paying .08 cents a kWh this come to roughly $450 a year or over 400 kWh a month.And this was figured from a so called energy saving model. I know folks who live off the grid who would be in hog heaven to have a RE system that would deliver this much a month. And here we are using this much to keep a 50 gal tank of water hot . This is the bad news the good news there are many things you can do that can save you money. And there cost ranges are free cheap and moderate . Here is a freebee. Plan your usage. Did you know that most electric companies charge more during peak times? Peak times are when over all demand is highest. Let say it July at 4 or 5 PM and the hottest part of the day. Now every one is home from work and all the central Acs are running full blast this is a peak time and you are being charged more for your electric usage. So the last thing you want is to be running is an energy hog like a water heater. So put off doing laundry or taking a shower till later in the evening. And if your water heater is set at 120F lowering it to 110 will save you more than you think read and you wont know the difference your owners manual on how to do this safely. Here is a cheape. The insulation on most water heaters suck even the so call energy saving model I mention above has only R16 insulation on it. Most big hard ware stores have pre cut water heater insulation kits.And they will easily pay for them self;s. Also insulate all exposed hot water piping. And here's the moderate. I call this preheating an it just shy of a full blown solar water heater system. The cold water coming in to your home runs about 55F to 56F or a little more an if you raise it by 25 to 30 degrees be for it get to your water heater this a 45%to 50 % savings. The simplest solar water heater is 100 foot of garden hose laying in the sun. Its amazing how hot the water gets and at a reduced flow it will put out 80 to 90 degree water till the sun goes down. Now we are not going to use garden hose or laying it on the ground. What we will be using is the plastic tubing that is used in radiant floor heating it rated at 189 degrees at 100 psi and can be used for domestic water. The larger pluming supply houses carry it and it run about 78 cents a foot for 3/4 inch. We will be using 200 feet strung in the attic were it can get up to 140 during the summer. One end goes to the cold water inlet on you water heater the other goes to your cold water supply make sure you add valves so you can bypass the attic loop. Now when you open hot water tap at a sink incoming cold water goes thou the attic loop where its preheated an then goes to the water heater. Now if you live in a hard freeze zone this will be a summer only system and will need drained be for winter. That why you need the valves. This system even used only in the summer will pay for its self in 2 to 3 years. This system should save you about 60% to 75% in the summer . Now none of these thing are new or are as technical interesting or glamorous as a solar electric panel or wind generator but they will save you money. . |
Energy Saveing 101 Did You Know |
