How “Green” Is Your Hot Water?

No, we’re not talking about the color of your hot water – although green water could indicate a problem.  We’re talking about how your water is heated and about how much water and energy you could be conserving by switching to a tankless water heater (instant water heater). 

Tankless water heaters can save water and energy. They also (because of this savings) can reduce your utility bills.  And, they can cost less to install and operate than a traditional water heater. 

Whether you are using an electric or a gas water heater, you are actually heating the amount of water held in your tank again and again to maintain a constant temperature.  Depending upon the amount of hot water you use and when you use it, you could be spending quite a chunk of change to keep water hot for extended periods when you don’t need it. 

For example, say you don’t cook (so you only run the dishwasher once a week), you don’t have a washing machine in your home, and you prefer to shower in the morning.  You need hot water in the morning and on the day you run the dishwasher. If you use a traditional hot water heater, with a capacity of 50 gallons, you will be heating 50 gallons of water to the predetermined temperature and then continuing to heat it enough to keep it at that temperature twenty-four hours every day.  If you only use 30 gallons of hot water when you shower, you are heating 30 gallons for an extra 23 hours and 20 gallons for an extra 24 hours every day. If you used a tankless water heater, you would only heat the 30 gallons you need for your shower as you need it. Over the course of a year, this savings in energy could add up to a noticeable savings in your gas or electric bill. 

Because tankless water heaters provide hot water by heating the water as it passes over a heating element, you only heat the amount of water you actually use.  And, you don’t have to stand around waiting for the hot water to travel through the pipes from the hot water tank to the faucet you are using, which also saves water. 

Tankless water heaters are becoming very popular because they are energy-efficient and because they conserve water.  If you want to reduce your monthly utility bills and protect the environment, you can “green up” your water use by installing tankless water heaters in key parts of your home.