Audrey 
The process of water heating consumes a great deal of energy, which is expensive for all of us. Products are advertised with hyped up abilities, but often do not give sufficient information to adequately compare between the available product options. To gather relevant information essential for a proper estimation, it requires considerable study and research.
Employing eco-friendly water heating can help conserve energy in your home, which saves you money while helping the environment. In this article, we explore the different available water heating options and their energy efficiency.
Are Water Heaters Eco-friendly?
According to the United States Department of Energy, water heating alone is responsible for 20% energy use in your home. Imagine what it would do for the environment if each of us could somehow halve this percentage. In comparing the degree of eco friendliness, not all water heaters are eco friendly, with electric heaters clearly being the least green.
In working toward increasing our individual and collective eco-friendly efforts, it is important to take day to day activities into consideration. If every household would take measures to optimize their eco-friendly water heating, we would all save a lot of money and energy. Let us take a look at the eco-friendly water heater solutions available.
Solar Water Heater
How does it work?
Solar water heaters harness solar energy in heating water, and usually also consist of a standby heater when solar energy is unavailable. These systems function by working through solar panels mounted on the roof to capture maximum solar energy. The energy is then transferred via a closed-loop circulation system that links to a water tank. The transported solar energy is subsequently used to heat the water.
Pros:
- Renewable energy: Solar water heaters make use of renewable, green energy
- Cost-effective: Using solar panels saves money on energy utility bills.
- Tax credit incentive: In advocating for solar energy use, the federal government has set up several federal tax level credits to help cover the cost of installation.
- Zero Carbon Emissions
Cons:
- More popular in warmer climates: Solar energy are not as easily available in colder climates.
- Space consuming: Solar panels take up roof space, and the more energy you need, the more space you’ll have to give up.
- High initial cost of installment: It is quite an expensive heating option to install without taking advantage of finance plans.
Heat Pump
How it works
Drawing heat from the air and ground, heat pump water heaters are made to perform by utilizing indirect heat and only uses electricity in transporting the heat from the point of absorption to the water tank. They can be set up anywhere in your home that has a 10 foot cube space.
Pros:
- Cost effective: A heat pump water heating solution will save you 60 percent more than a regular water heater.
- Combined efficiency; Being both cost and energy effective means that they save you a lot of money long term.
- Low maintenance: It does not require much maintenance beyond routine professional inspections.
Cons:
- Lifespan: The average lifespan stands at 10 years, only half as long as the average lifespan of solar and tankless heaters.
- Space consuming: Not everyone has a thousand cubic feet of free space.
- More popular in warmer regions: It will not work effectively in areas without latent heat.
Carbon-neutral: Still utilizes electricity for transportation although it balances this out with environmental heat.
Tankless Water Heater
How it works
This water heating option works by passing water through superheated coils. The water is fed into the coils at your demand which then heats it up and passes it through the faucet.
Pros:
- Produces instant hot water: The water gets heated the moment you require it.
- Energy saving: Because it does not have to heat up water in reserve it saves the energy required to keep water warm.
- Space conserving: Because of the absence of a tank, the tankless water heater comes in a comparably compact size.
- Cost effective: Due to lower overall energy consumption, it saves you money long term.
Cons:
- Expensive initial costs: Costs twice as much as regular electric options.
- Limited heat supply: The coils cool as they heat up water, and so the heater is unable to meet high demands for hot water.
- No impressive perks compared to other options.
Condensing Water Heater
How it works
Condensing water heaters may seem to work similarly to conventional heating systems in their operation. However, they differ in that they capture hot exhaust gasses that would otherwise depart the home through a flue and redirect them to a heat exchanger installed inside the tank.
Pros:
- Eco-friendly: They help reduce carbon emissions.
- Inexpensive to operate: They help save energy and gas costs in the long run
- Instant water heating: They produce warm water nearly as fast as tankless heaters.
Cons:
- Pricey: This water heating solution costs at least twice as much as regular water heaters.
- Space consuming: Using one of these requires a separate space. The heaters are heavy duty and their tanks can take up to fifty five gallons of water.
Conclusion:
Before selecting the best form of eco-friendly water heater for your household, you should conduct extensive research. You can check the United States Department of Energy website to learn more. When you have a thorough awareness of all the available water heater solutions, you can be comfortable that you are picking the most suitable option possible for you. For an electrical handyman service in New York click this link.
