ARTICLES

OUR FAVORITE ENERGY SAVING PRODUCTS

MAR 07, 2017

Whether it is your concern for the environment or the expense of your utility bills, there are numerous energy saving products that can help significantly reduce your household’s energy consumption. Here is a rundown of our favorite heating, cooling, and plumbing products to start reaping the rewards of energy saving products today.

TOP ENERGY SAVING PRODUCTS

PLUMBING

Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters are an excellent addition to any home replete with numerous benefits. In addition to never running out of hot water, no standby heat loss and taking up significantly less space than traditional water heaters, tankless units can save you up to 20 percent on the cost to heat water in your home. You may be asking yourself, “If tankless water heaters are so great, why doesn’t everyone have them?” As with many energy saving products, the upfront costs associated with installing them keep many people from taking advantage of the product.

Tankless water heaters do cost up to three times as much as other water heaters, and some people may have to install a larger natural gas line to supply it with adequate fuel. However, tankless water heaters also outlive other water heaters by an average of 5-10 years, meaning that those who have them installed at their homes will be enjoying a return on their investment for many years to come.

Hot Water Recirculating Pumps

How many times have you found yourself running your morning shower while waiting what seems like forever for the hot water to finally get there? Unless you have a hot water recirculation pump, the answer is probably every day. Hot water recirculating pumps save you energy, water, time, and money by making it so that hot water is available at the tap on demand, rather than wasting your time and all of the cold water that goes down the drain while you are waiting for hot water to travel from your water heater to the faucet.As pointed out by ENERGY STAR, though, to really optimize the benefits of this energy saving product, it is important to get a hot water recirculating pump that is activated by a timer, motion sensor, or a button. If you have a unit that runs continuously, you will certainly still enjoy the convenience of on demand hot water, but the unit will use more energy in the long run.

AIR CONDITIONING/HVAC

High Efficiency Air Conditioning Units

Living in the Phoenix area, air conditioning is a primary driver of high utility bills in the summer months. Even minute differences in air conditioning unit efficiency can results in 100s of dollars of savings or expense on your power bill each year. While we recommend everyone look into high efficiency air conditioning units when considering energy saving products, it should be an even higher priority for our neighbors here in Arizona.

When assessing the efficiency of an air conditioning unit, you will want to take note of its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER). This is calculated by taking the amount of cooling output of a unit during a typical cooling season (the summer) divided by the amount of energy the unit took in to accomplish that. Air conditioning units produced today are required to have a minimum SEER rating of 13, but if you have an older air conditioning unit, that number may be rated six or less. Whether it is time for a new air conditioner because the existing one is broken or because you are just tired of inefficiency and paying too much to air condition your home, investing the extra money to get an air conditioning unit with a SEER rating of 16 or betterwill quickly pay for itself.

Variable Speed Compressors and Motors

To explain how variable speed air compressors work, it is easiest to tell you about three different types of air conditioners: single speed, two speed or variable speed. Single speed air conditioners only work at one speed, while two speed units can go high or low. As you have probably guessed by now, variable speed air conditioners’ compressors operate at varying speeds, depending on cooling needs. So, when your home needs to be seriously cooled down,

it can run on full blast, but it can be run at a low speed when the weather is not too hot or maybe you are not at home. Additionally, it can operate at several speeds in between to keep you comfortable in a range of temperatures while also conserving energy when prudent.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us. Our professionally trained team is eager to help you with any problems you may have.