A good way to start an energy-savings program as a homeowner is to first determine which appliances drain the pocketbook.According to the Colorado Springs Utilities Web site, the single biggest user of energy in Colorado – after the furnace – is the water heater, which accounts for about 15 percent of a home’s energy bill.Day in and day out, morning, noon and night, the conventional gas or electric water heater keeps water hot regardless of usage. As unused hot water sits in the tank, it cools until the heat source turns on and heats the water again.Demand and solar water heaters are two alternatives to the conventional water heater.Demand water heatersAccording to the U.S. Department of Energy Web site, the demand water heater – also known as a tankless water heater – heats water without the use of a storage tank, eliminating the heat loss that occurs with conventional water heaters. “When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the demand water heater. A gas burner or an electric element heats the water … delivering a constant supply of hot water. Typically, demand water heaters provide hot water at a rate of two to five gallons per minute.”Two to 5 gallons per minute may not be enough volume for simultaneous household needs like taking a shower while running the dishwasher. To overcome the problem, two or more demand water heaters can be installed and connected in parallel, or individual demand water heaters can be installed for specific appliances, such as the clothes washer and the dishwasher.Whole home, natural gas demand water heaters capable of delivering 7 gallons of hot water per minute are available from local big-box home improvement warehouses for about $1,000. The propane version costs about $50 more. The 4 gallon per minute propane point-of-use version costs about $700.Solar water heaters“Solar hot water heating is one of the most cost-effective ways to use the sun’s energy and reduce utility bills,” said Tom Cannarella, spokesman for the Colorado branch of the American Solar Energy Society.”Basically, a solar water heater uses the sun to preheat water,” Cannarella said. “It is then stored in a tank until you turn on the faucet.” The preheated water then moves from the storage tank to a conventional water heater, where additional heat is applied, depending on the system’s temperature setting.”Cannarella said water from the ground comes into the house at about 50 degrees. A solar water heater uses the sun to preheat water to about 90 degrees. “The energy used to heat preheated water to over 100 degrees is considerably less than the energy required to heat 50 degree water to over 100 degrees,” Cannarella said.Some solar hot water systems circulate a heat-transfer fluid, such as anti-freeze, instead of water.Lotus, who is referred to as simply “Lotus,” owns Rocky Mountain Solar Inc. in Colorado Springs and sells and installs solar hot water systems. “Colorado is one of the sunniest and best solar climates in the country. As long as the sun is out, the systems produce enough heat to run,” Lotus said. On sunny, but really cold days, the systems produce less heat than warmer days.The systems turn off the pump when there is not enough sunshine to heat the liquid, Lotus said. The liquid drains out of the tubing, which in cold weather prevents it from freezing.”The water-only systems are a little more efficient than the anti-freeze systems, and they are low on maintenance as long as they are installed properly,” Lotus said. The systems cost about $10,000 for professional installation, but they also qualify for the 30 percent federal solar tax credit, up to the $2,000 cap for residential installations. There is no cap for business installations, Lotus said.If a demand or solar water heater is not an option, the Colorado Springs Utilities Web site recommends turning the setting of a conventional water heater to no more than 120 degrees for a savings of up to 10 percent on water heating costs. The Web site also recommends washing clothes in cold water to save up to $60 per year. If a conventional water heater tank is warm to the touch, adding a low-cost insulation blanket can save up to 9 percent a year.For more information, visit www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/water_heating.
