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Heat Water, Not the Planet
NewsUSA
 NewsUSA
A new water heater will save money on your utility bills without cutting your shower time. |
With gas and utility costs climbing, many Americans want to save energy, not just to save the planet, but also to save money.
Water systems can leak money right out of homes. High-flow faucets and showers can waste gallons of water a minute. Even small water leaks can cost homeowners thousands of dollars in wasted water.
So, homeowners repair leaks, install low-flow toilets and faucets, and build rain gardens to slow erosion. But heating water costs money, too. And many people prefer their low-flow showers warm.
According to Energy Star, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program, high-efficiency water heaters use 10 to 50 percent less energy than regular units. What does that mean? If a water heater, like most units, works at 80 percent efficiency, it wastes 20 cents of every dollar spent on warm water.
Some people balk at the money it takes to install a high-efficiency water heater, but they shouldn't. A water heater's true cost involves its purchase, installation and maintenance -; plus its energy use. While a newer-generation water heater might cost more upfront, most units save so much energy that they pay for themselves within a year.
One company, A.O. Smith, makes energy-efficient water heaters available for homeowners. Its newest product, the Vertext 100, proves 96 percent efficient, saving the Earth's resources and homeowners' money.
The water heater uses a venting system to draw in fresh, outdoor air. A burner-blower combination forces hot gas into a coil heat exchanger. A coil provides more surface area than a straight tube, so more heat transfer can happen within a similar space. The Vertex 100 retains hot gases longer than most units, so it uses energy more efficiently.
The Vertex 100 also records its performance history and uses a backlit LCD screen to display its functions and temperature controls, letting owners see exactly how much they save.
