The Best Eco-Friendly Home Water Heater Systems

Enjoy hot water while decreasing your energy costs & your carbon footprint

You probably don’t think about the money you spend every time someone turns on a tap in your household—to take a shower, wash the dishes, or do the laundry. However, heating water is pricy, especially when the temperatures dip in winter and we tend to linger in the shower a little bit longer than usual. Think about the inner workings of your home’s water system. For instance, the mechanics at play when one turns on your hot water tap to take a shower or wash your hands go something like this:

• You turn the hot water faucet on
• Cold water runs through the pipes to the hot water tank
• The water is heated in the water heater system
• Depending on where your heater system is connected to your piping, it will probably take a few minutes before you actually feel hot water running through the faucet

Knowing this, consider the wasted cold water that’s running down the drain as you wait for your hot water system to do its magic, not to mention the time you’ll wait and the water that will be wasted if you get up late and shower after your spouse (in our house we have to wait long enough for the hot water tank to re-heat again before the follow up shower).

If your home’s current water heating system is costing you a bundle and not really doing much for the environment either (due to the fact that you’re consuming a lot of natural energy for water heating), you might be open to a more eco-friendly home water heating solution like my husband and I recently were. You see, our water heating bills were soaring anywhere between $400 and $600 per year (especially in years where the winters were really harsh). When we were faced with replacing the water heater in our home a few months ago, I decided that saving on our annual energy costs AND reducing our carbon footprint was important. So I decided to put some research into an eco-friendly water system for our home, and this is what I found…

1. Solar Power Water Heating Systems

As far as eco-friendliness goes, a solar powered water heater will get you the most bonus points with good old Mother Nature. The power harnessed for this system is from the sun so it generates zero waste and consumes zero fossil fuels. The initial installation and investment costs for the unit is really where homeowners start to have their doubts, but consider that solar water heaters pay for themselves within four to eight years of installation and last between 15 and 40 years. So, yes, you’re paying a high initial cost for long term gain when you consider you’ll pay zero in energy costs and basically enjoy free hot water for the lifetime of the unit.  

2. Tankless Water Heating Systems

If you want to do your part for the environment and get hot water fast, a tankless water heater installation is your best bet. In fact an Energy Star rated tankless water heating system only heats the exact amount of water you need for your morning shower or to do the laundry. You can see how the instant supply and demand of a tankless water system cuts down on both water waste and water heating household costs.

3. Pellet Stove Water Heaters

I personally love the warm glow of a fireplace in the frigid cold of winter, and a pellet stove water heater sets the mood and saves on household water heating costs at the same time. At first, I thought that pellet water heater stoves would have me out chopping wood all winter, however, I was wrong! These systems work electronically and similarly to conventional hot water heating systems. You set a timer and the water is heated as you need it. Carbon footprint isn’t an issue either, as it is with most wood burning fireplaces. Pellet stoves burn clean recycled timbre waste (or biomass) so they give off pet friendly, child friendly carbon that isn’t harmful to the environment.

Author Bio:

Anna Cook is a freelance writer who takes a hands-on approach to her print and online articles. After having completely gutted and renovated multiple properties, this "DIY maven" has learned to tackle almost every do-it-yourself renovation and home decor project known to man and woman. Anna is known for sharing her personal and often humorous DIY stories, good and bad, in the various print and online articles she writes. When she’s not writing, Anna can be found swinging a hammer or taking well deserved respite in the latest home she’s renovated and decorated with her husband.