Hot Water Lovers: 3 Ways To Reduce Energy Costs With Plumbing Repairs

Having access to hot water is a great thing. If you love hot water, then you understand the great feeling that comes when taking a shower and finally reaching that optimal temperature. Accessing hot water in your home can use up a lot of energy, resulting in larger electric bills, wasted water, and a negative impact on the environment. Luckily, you can reduce all of these impacts and still have access to the hot water you seek by hiring a plumber, such as Laroc Refrigeration-Metal Division, for some upgrades and repairs. Adding one or more of the following upgrades can improve the speed that you access hot water and reduce the energy costs and use at the same time.

Drain-Water Heat Recovery

When accessing hot water in your home, it's important to think about how much water goes down the drains and how much is actually used for a specific purpose. When hot water is going down the drain, there is a lot of extra heat that can be captured and used for future water options in the home. Cycling this heat can be done through a process known as drain-water heat recovery. A heat recovery system can be installed on drain pipes connected to kitchen sinks, showers, or even washers. It features a small coiled pipe section that wraps around the drain pipe. Cold water is fed through this pipe that leads to a small holding tank. When hot water goes through the drainage pipe, the pipe will naturally heat up and heat the small coiled pipe at the same time. This allows the cold water to get heated and create a cycle of hot water. All of the water that goes through the coiled pipe section is new water, the only thing being cycled is excess heat.

When taking long showers, the drain-water heat recovery process can help reduce the energy it takes to supply you with constant hot water. This same process also works well with dishes or multiple cycles of a washer. For example, when a washer fills with hot water, the heat recovery process can provide additional hot water for a rinse cycle and help reduce the energy costs. A plumber can help you install the system upgrade to various drainage areas of your home.

Point of Use Water Heaters

Sometimes hot water is needed for less than ten seconds. Whether it's used to fill up a pan for cooking, to wash your hands, or to just do a few dishes, there is no need to go through the complete water heating process for these quick tasks. Instead of firing up the water heater, filling a tank, and wasting valuable energy, you can have quick access to hot water through a point of use water heater. These types of water heaters are small and efficient electric heaters that can be installed right at a specific water source. For example, you can add a point of use water heater at your kitchen sink. This allows you to access hot water in a matter of seconds as fresh water flows through electric heating coils. These systems can also be installed in shower areas to supply you with quicker heat to help start your shower and reduce water waste.

Hybrid Water Heaters

Reduce energy costs and get fast access to hot water by having a hybrid water heater installed. These water heaters operate using both thermostats and water flow technology to provide quick access to hot water needs. A small tank at the bottom of a hybrid heater can keep water temperatures warm so that they are heated quickly when needed in the rest of the home. This is an ideal whole-home water heater that can provide hot water to every source in the home. The hybrid technology makes it useful for a number of functions while reducing the overall energy use on a daily basis.

A plumber can help you plan out and access your different water heating needs. This allows you to budget and figure out the different energy savings you can have in your home.

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