Residential Hot Water Systems - Energy Saving Water Systems

Home water heating is generally a fair proportion of your monthly energy expenses. Some estimates put it at 30% of the total costs. This can really add up, especially over the colder months. This article will cover a few methods that can save you money on water heating costs.

The principal sources of energy that heat water in the home are electricity or gas. For most homes, the water tank or boiler is the center of the water heating process. It is a large cylindrical metal tank. Inside the tank is a glass bottle that has insulation around it. The bottle stores the water and the metal casing protects the bottle from any damage.

An electric element or a gas line that ignites a burner is positioned at the bottom of the tank so that it can heat the water. This normally occurs when the temperature of the water drops to a certain level (by the way, an energy saving tip is to turn the temperature of the thermostat that controls this process down. Many people set it to 140 F when 120 F is sufficient).

The main negative about this type of system is that it constantly has to re-heat the water in the tank if it is not used by the residents.

If the water is not used, this heat is generally lost to the environment regardless of how much insulation is in the tank. This loss of heat has to be replaced by using electricity or gas, even if you don't use the hot water it creates.

This is why this kind of system can cost you money and effectively is an inefficent way to use hot water. There are alternatives.

The tankless water heater is the alternative to the traditional heater. It does as it name suggests and provides hot water on demand.

It does this with a device known as a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is heated by an electricity or gas heater (just like the traditional system) but it is only used when water is about to be used.

Part of the plumbing of the home is wound around the heat exchanger. As the water passes through the plumbing around the heat exchanger, the water is heated.

You will use less electricity or gas using this type of system because it is only used when needed rather than topping up hot water that may not be used. A tankless system can cost more than the other system but should last longer as it gets less use.

A better alternative is to install a solar hot water heater. A solar hot water system is really the same as the other system when it comes to storing the water. It merely applies to the energy source that provides the heating.

There are two types of solar water systems. The passive system has been around for a long time. In some cases it can provide all your energy needs for hot water but generally it acts as a way to preheat water that is then heated via the traditional method.

An active system uses solar panels to create electricity. This can be used to heat the water you use. An active solar power system with an efficient heating storage system can save you plenty on water heating bills.

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