WATER
One of the biggest problems with water conservation is the cost of water. Simply speaking, the price that Americans pay for their water is far too low considering the amount available, our need, and maintenance. Many Americans even are encouraged to waste water because there is not a per-gallon rate on their water costs--giving families no incentive to save water. However, low water costs should not be an excuse for Americans to consume as much water as they do on a daily basis. While most wasted water comes from wasteful industrial and agricultural processes, residential water use still makes up a large percentage of water consumption. There are some simple ways to reduce consumption immediately:
- In the bathroom, consider your shower and bath needs before getting in the tub. If you're one to take twenty or even thirty minute showers, it may be time for you to consider cutting down on your shower time. the average shower head uses anywhere from four to seven gallons of water a minute, and water-saving shower heads still use about two gallons a minute. Also, if you do not need to wash your hair it may be a good idea for you to just take a quick bath with the tub half full, which will most likely be more water-efficient than a shower. Get in the habit of considering all your options, and maybe even doing a bit of math to see what's most efficient for your needs.
- If you have an older toilet, you may want to look into getting a newer, water-efficient toilet that can save you anywhere from two to five gallons of water per flush. Also, be sure that your toilet and faucets aren't leaking--a much larger problem for water waste than one might think.
- Fill up your dishwasher every time you use it to get the most out of your water use as you possibly can.
- Use the lowest water level you can for your laundry loads to cut down on consumption there. Also, if you're looking into getting a new clothes washer, look for water efficient models. As a general rule, front-loading washers are much more efficient than top-loading washers because they do not have to be filled with as much water to wash the clothes.
Also, heating your water can be a big issue when coming to energy costs. There are several different options when it comes to heating water, but these generally fall into two categories: tank water heaters (as used by most) and tankless water heaters. Tankless water heaters are quite the innovative products--they use much less energy, and produce hot water the instant it is needed. However, they are much more expensive than regular tank heaters, especially considering most homes already come with tanks installed. If you want to save as much energy as possible, go for the tankless heaters, and if you live in an area with a colder climate--such as the northern and mid-United States, it will probably start saving you money after a few years. However, if you do not have the money for the tankless option, you may be forced to stick with a tank heater. Also, if you live in a warmer area, such as the southern United States (my abode is in Texas, so this tends to be a more favorable option), it is probably not practical to switch to a tankless heater because much less gas or electricity is needed to heat water than in other areas. For example, to make up for the cost of a tankless heater where I live, it would probably take over a decade of energy savings. However, if you do have the resources to buy a tankless heater, it is probably the most efficient solution as far as energy savings go.
AIR CONDITIONING
As a Texas resident, it is hard not to recognize the importance of efficient central air and heating. Air conditioning systems can be very moody, so the most important action to take at any time with an air conditioning system is to make sure that it can maintain a comfortable temperature consistently. If you have more than one thermostat in your house, make sure they're all set to the same temperature. If not, the system will tend to fight itself to maintain the different temperature settings and waste tons of energy. Make sure your filters are clean such that the system doesn't have to work as hard to maintain a temperature.
In the summer here, it typically gets past 95 degrees towards 100 during July and August. I remember a week in August a couple years ago when the temperature during the day stayed consistently in the 100s, getting as hot as 108 degrees. Temperatures stay in the 90s well into October. Also, in this area of Texas humidities stay high enough all summer to keep the heat index several degrees higher than the regular temperature. If temperatures where you live are anywhere near the temperatures like those in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, etc., then you have to be especially careful to shield your house from heat before worrying about air conditioning. A good solution to summer heat is to put denser, energy-saving screens on your windows to minimize the amount of heat the sun lets in your house. This will let your air conditioning system work less to keep your house cool. Also, when looking at a new house, look for features that will keep your house cooler--lighter roof shingles, for example, will absorb less heat. More extensively, one can look into a "cool roof" solution to reflect as much heat as possible.
Also, turn off the air conditioning if no one's going to be in the house for a while. If it's going to be empty for a week, there's no need to pay for it to be cool! The same goes for any heating system.
If you put your head into the matter, it shouldn't be hard to come up with several other ways to save energy on your air conditioning--most of it is common sense. Look for anything that fights your air conditioner and fix it. Make sure it's in good condition. The list goes on. The same goes for anything else in your house you might be concerned is wasting energy. If you don't know where you're spending all your electricity on, take a good look around and make a list of power wasters. You may be surprised how much electricity or water you can save just by using a bit of sense.
No comments:
Post a Comment