Ways to save water (and energy)

If you heat hot water for a shower...there are a variety of ways to reduce your costs. One way is to heat the water with the sun, using a solar hot water system. We sell both Stiebel-Eltron flatplate collector and Thermomax evacuated tube solar hot water systems, and also the hybrid SunDrum solar electric.solar hot water system. If not using the sun, a tankless hot water heater is the most efficient way to heat water, so you don't have the cost of maintaining the temperature of a large tank as it cools. We sell both whole house gas or propane tankless hot water heaters by Takagi, and also whole house or point of use electric tankless hot water heaters. In general, the gas/propane ones are more efficient, but if you are just wanting to heat a bathroom, for example one that's far away from the furnace, an electric point of use one is often more cost effective. The high quality ones we sell are made by Stiebel-Eltron. Next, reducing the amount of hot water you use can cut your energy costs. We sell Bricor low-flow showerheads that feel like normal showers but use up to 60% less water (and less cost of heating that water) than a regular showerhead. We also have a variety of other showerheads, for example, the Evolve showerhead. If you have 30 seconds or more of cold water running before your shower warms up, use an Evolve showerhead. When the water finally warms up, it stops so that you don't let it run while you are out of the room. Then, when you get in the shower, pull the chain and you will have instant hot water. We also have faucet aerators and toilet tank banks, to reduce the amount of water you use. Next - saving water. We sell rain barrels (Great American Rain Barrel Co.) that capture the rain off your roof, so you don't have to pay water and sewer charges on your lawn and garden watering. Store the water til you need it, the water from the watering barrel. Several can be linked together if you need more capacity. Finally, a way to save significantly on water that many people don't think of - composting toilets. Rather than flushing everything down, dealing with clogged pipes and a community wide waste problem, use a composting toilet and turn your waste into the same thing you buy at the garden store for money. Saves money and puts nutrients back into the lawn! So, these are a few ways Sustain Ability NH can help you reduce your water usage and associated costs.

Posted on July 4, 2009 by Malik Haig