It is a fact well-proven that water heaters are one of the best users of energy in a household. Whether you are out looking for a water heater, or are looking for a new one to replace your old unit, make sure you consider the energy consumption of water heaters and how this affects your bills. Aside from choosing a water heater that does not consume too much energy, you can also save energy once you install any kind you chose.

First of all, if your water heater is old enough, you should start thinking about replacing it. Don’t wait until it breaks down. This will put you in a rushed and pressured situation where you have to choose a water heater in such a short time. This is not good, since choosing one should take time. Also, in case you have some problems with your old water heater, you can take that into consideration when you choose a replacement. Then, when you’re out shopping for a water heater, don’t go right ahead and buy the cheapest one you can find. The initial price you pay is not what matters. The operating costs are more important. Think long-term, not short-term.

Also, once you bring home that water heater, don’t go and install it just like that. There are still plenty you can do to save energy, such as placing insulating jackets around the tank and the pipes. This will help save energy and costs by reducing the amount of heat that gets lost through the walls of the tank and the pipes as the water is stored there. Insulating jackets are way cheaper, considering that using them can reduce your energy consumption by up to 40%.

Here’s another tip, and one that you won’t instantly think about when your attention is all on your water heater. Well, you must be forgetting that your water heater works directly with your shower equipment. The amount of water that comes out of your shower heads affect your water heater’s energy consumption. Aside from insulating, you also have to make some revisions with your shower equipment. Consider installing shower restrictors that can limit the amount of water that gets through your shower head. The less water you consume, the less heating the water heater needs to do. And this equates, of course, to lower energy consumption and, yes, less expenses that you need to pay.

Now you’re ready to go on and install your water heater. Once it’s up and running, however, you should still exert some effort to save energy. There are two surefire ways to do so. First, lower the temperature while you’re using one. This can help save some energy. However, the best thing you can do is still to conserve water as much as you can. When you conserve water, you can never go wrong.

Of course, there are a lot more you can do. However, the tips enumerated above are the easiest and cheapest ways to save energy when you’re using water heaters. After all, in the effort to save on energy consumption of your water heater, you should not waste your own energy on difficult methods and techniques when you can save a lot of energy using the hassle-free tips above.

James Brain is the marketing associate for Fast Water Heater A repair and installation service company specializing in traditional and tankless water heaters.

A central air conditioning system for the modern home isn’t considered a luxury any more. Only people from generations past still hold this belief. So what changes have occurred to make the average home a refuge from the temperature highs and lows?

Increased efficient manufacturing processing as well as offshore placement of the facilities have dramatically improved the manufacture of machines as well as increased the technical ability of the air conditioner. Modern central air conditioning systems are able to adjust to temperature fluctuations, keep operating at extreme temperatures and deliver all this at a less cost to the home owner.

Having decided to install a central air conditioner in their home most owners are at a loss to know where to start in their decision process. This situation is not alleviated by the plethora of detail and technical jargon being poured onto the decision maker. But if you can find the right company to align yourself with the process is not as dire as one would think.

Which central air conditioning system is right for you?

Everyone’s home is different, and as a result everyone’s quoted price and type of unit will differ slightly. But some aspects will always be the same. Knowing how many rooms are to be conditioned, how large the rooms/house is, and where in the world you are living are some of the basics that will aways be taken into account in the quoting process.

So which contractor should you choose?

Air conditioning contractors are all over the place, it seems that when you finally decide to allocate the funds to the project you start to see them everywhere. But which are good and which will offer you a white elephant. Firstly your best option is to never go with the smallest company and the cheapest quote. Although this is a given to most people it can be alluring to some to see the low installation quote being offered by some companies. Do not be fooled by this. Secondly, try to get some testimonies from people who have already been where you are now, but do not accept a competing company’s customer testimony as it will always be a glowing account of a perfect trouble free installation. What you need is someone who had a few problems and how the installation company responded to them.

After all the dust has settled the customer should have an environment in their home that will provide comfort and respite from the ravages of the climate we live in today. Central air conditioning industry is a billion dollar industry which employs many thousands of people around the globe. It will always be around doing it’s best to gain your respect and patronage. If you have decided to install a ducted system in your home do it right from the beginning and all the rest will fall in place from there.

Save yourself money and frustration. Do the homework before making any decision to install a central air conditioning system. There are many pitfalls to cause your wallet harm, protect yourself with knowledge, forewarned is forearmed.

One of the best, most highly efficient sources of heating is the portable infra-red heaters. These types of heaters can be used for many different situations that require heating. They can be used for such applications as heating commercial and industrial buildings as well as area and spot heating. They have also been used for process heating ovens as well as broiling commercial food.

It has been proven that using such heaters can dramatically lower energy costs for many commercial buildings. One manufacture installed their product into one of there warehouses for a single heating season. Prior to the installation the energy costs were up to $106,000 per year but after the use of the heaters the energy cost dropped to just $27,000 per year. That is a huge savings that cannot be ignored. With statistics like this, portable infra-red heaters practically sell themselves. It shows that the money paid for the heaters will be made back many times over in just the first year of using such heaters.

There are more and more companies as well as people jumping on the band wagon of portable infrared heaters as they realize the many benefits that the heaters can provide. Generally, most people and companies can expect to see a 30 to 50% drop in their fuel consumption with a portable infrared heater then with the typical conventional heating systems.

How Do Portable Infrared Heaters Work

So just how do these wonders of man kind work? An infrared heater is a unit which has a higher temperature then bodies of substance around it. It transfers its energy to things that have lower temperature by electromagnetic radiation. It depends on the temperature of the body that is emitting the energy as to what the wavelength of the infrared radiation will be. It can range from 780 nm to 1nm. Amazingly enough, there does not need to be a medium or contact between the two items for the energy to transfer.

There is a classification of the infrared heaters for the wavelength bands where the emission of energy is concerned. 780 nm to 1400 nm is the range for the short or near infrared. These are named bright, as the emitters actually emit a glare that is visible to people. 1400 nm to 3000 nm is considered medium infrared and dark emitters or far infrared is for everything that is over 3000 nm.

Benefits of Portable Infrared Heaters

There are many benefits to using portable infrared heaters. One of the top reasons is the efficiency of the infrared heaters. Technically the efficiency of these heaters is considered to be 100% as it takes electrical energy and converts nearly 100% of it to heat in the filament. Once the heat is generated, the filament then emits the heat by the infrared radiation to the object to be heated. This is done either by a reflector or it can be done directly to the object. There is a bit of energy that is lost during this process but it doesn’t take away from the performance of the heater.

An infrared heater counts on matching up the ranges of wavelengths with the absorption range of the material or matter that is going to be heated. A good example of this is would be the absorption range for water, which reaches its crest or peak at around 3000 nm. So what exactly does that mean? It means that the carbon infrared heaters (with medium wave emission) are absorbed better with coatings that are water or water based rather than the short wave infrared radiation or NIR. This is also the same for various types of plastics such as polyethylene or even PVC. Both of these plastics have an absorption peak at around 3500 nm. It is important o be sure that you get the right range of infrared for the type of object that you are heating. Some metals will only absorb with the short wave and others with the medium and far infrared. So you need to be sure that you check to make sure you have the right range for your needs. The more you match it up the more efficient your heater will be.

Portable infrared heaters can be used to cure coating as well as to heat plastic prior to shaping or forming it. They can be used to weld plastic and to process glass. You can also use then for browning your food and to cook the food as well. These types of heaters have also been used to keep animals warm in places such as zoos and vet clinics. There are many used for the portable infrared heater. You can make your choice of which one to use.

Chad Brosius is an Earth/Space High School Science teacher who has been involved in the alternative energy field for over 1 year. Articles such as this can be seen at http://alternative-energy-resources.net

Although heaters can account for a number of home heating fires, the heaters now being manufactured are relatively safe. Nonetheless, precaution must be taken when operating any type of heating device.

Generally, oil heaters are considered safer than regular electric convection or radiant heaters because they have lower surface temperatures and require less consideration of air flow through/over the heater itself. These heaters create warmth by warming heat-conserving oil inside the heater. The oil is then circulated throughout the coils of the radiator to evenly distribute heat throughout the room. However, these types of heaters are only suitable for small, personal spaces ranging from 40 square feet for an under-desk style unit to 150 square feet. Another added benefit of a small desk-type unit is that these are extremely energy efficient and do not blow fuses even when hooked up to the same power grid as the computer that sits on top of the desk they are placed under.

Once again, it should be noted that although the high intensity of the output of space heaters may make them more susceptible to fires, most portable electric space heaters now being manufactured include many performance requirements in order to enhance user safety.

Nonetheless, portable space heaters have received a bad reputation recently. Although these types of heaters may present a fire hazard when tipped over, almost all portable electric heaters now being produced boast safety features such as safety switches that will automatically turn off the heater until it is turned upright, overheat protection functions, and indicator lights which help you know when the heater is plugged in or turned on. As well, modern space heaters are also subjected to rigorous laboratory testing and must pass certain safety standards.

However, when using any electric heater, caution must be exercised in order to reduce the risk of fire. Follow these tips to ensure safe heater operation:

1. Use the heater on the floor for stability – never place a heater on furniture since it may fall and could result in a fire hazard, and never leave a heater unattended.

2. Do not hide cords under rugs or carpets, as placing anything on top of the cord could cause a fire by overheating.

3. Be sure the plug fits properly into an outlet since a loose plug can overheat. Have a worn-out plug or outlet replaced if necessary.

4. Keep the heater away from debris and paints, solvents, and other flammable liquids.

5. Ensure proper working order of your heater by replacing missing controls or guards at once, and never operate a defective heater.

By being smart about your heater, you can safely keep your area warm and comfortable during the cooler months.

Jeanie Wong is a marketing writer with extensive knowledge of heating, cooling, and purification systems.

One modern day luxury that we often take for granted is the ability to have a hot bath or shower at the flick of a water faucet. If you are like me, a hot shower is a great way to relax after a busy day at work. An even better way to relieve stress is to spend a few hours in a hot bath that has a few drops of relaxing essential oil. Of course it was not always this easy and in many parts of the world is seen as a great luxury. It is estimated that the average home spends more money on heating water than any other energy need. In most homes this is done by using grid electricity to power a water heater. The down side to this is that grid electricity is powered by fossil fuels that are linked to causing environmental problems and are ultimately finite. What this means is that in time using this method to heat your water is bad for the planet and bad for your wallet. An alternative to this is to use a solar water heating system. This article will explain some of the important parts and how the system works.

One of the first things to consider when thinking about solar power is to make your home more energy efficient. This means using the energy created to the utmost and getting as much energy from the source as possible. In terms of creating hot water this means insulating your hot water tank so that heat is not lost to the environment. Most tanks have some form of insulation but if your system is old, the insulation might not be the best or may need replacing. You should also look at the one that you use. This may be an old resistive type heater and should be replaced by more modern heaters that can be up to 5 times more efficient at heating water. Heat water pumps are a very efficient way of heating water. These systems can either reduce or eliminate your need for grid powered water heating.

Many people start off with a system that integrates into the existing grid powered system because this provides the least amount of change or disruption to the home. As a person gets more comfortable with the idea of solar power they may move onto total solar powered water heating.

The two types of solar water heating systems are known as flat plate collectors and batch collectors. Flat plate collectors are simply a length of piping that allows liquid to pass through it. The pipes are located on a surface that comes in contact with the sun. So the roof top is often the most suitable place and also is out of the way so the system is unlikely to be damaged. The pipes in the flat plate collector are painted black on the underside to absorb heat. The side facing the sun often have a glass that helps to absorb and distribute the sunlight to the liquid. Batch collectors are a water tank that is insulated to absorb heat. Thus they will be painted black also.

The water that is heated by these two systems can then be plumbed into the conventional heating system. As the water is already heated the conventional system will use less electricity to heat the water. As your use of solar power evolves you will move to using solar panels to provide the electricity to power the hot water heater. At this stage you will be utilizing the full power of the sun to heat water for your home.

Solar power can be applied to many house and garden products. In recent years the cost of these appliances have become very affordable and saved money on energy bills. Learn more about solar powered appliances at http://www.solarpowerappliances.com – The site has features on solar water heating systems and various solar power related articles. Adrian Whittle writes about using solar power and appliances that can utilize renewable energy sources.

Many people consider pollution as a significant problem. However, you may be surprised to learn that the air you breathe while inside your home may be several times worse than the air outside. This is largely because of dust and other contaminants in the air you breathe indoors. Fortunately, you can use a furnace filter to help rid your home of these contaminants so you can begin breathing much cleaner air in your home. This article will give you a brief overview of the different types of furnace filters.

Electrostatic Air Filter

Electrostatic air filters help filter dust and other elements from the air without restricting the air flow of your air conditioner or furnace. This can allow your heating system to work more efficiently to either cool or heat your home. Electrostatic air filters collect dust and various particles by emitting a static charge. This charge attracts the contaminants, allowing clean air to flow into your home.

Media Air Filter

Used most often by businesses that must change their air filters frequently, media air filters have a greater loading capacity than other furnace filters. However, while these type of filters can efficiently remove large particles from the air, they are less efficient at filtering smaller particles such as viruses and respirable dust.

Pleated Air Filter

Pleated air filters are regarded as one of the best-performing and high-efficiency filter types. Their design allows these type of filters to increase their surface area and lengthen their lifespan. They can easily capture and remove most contaminants from the air while their construction allows your air conditioning and heating system to operate efficiently.

HEPA Air Filter

In order to qualify as a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, the filter must be capable of removing 99.97% of all contaminants 0.3 microns or larger. This includes mold spores and dust particles. Designed with an efficient pleat construction, these air filters are costly and most often used in one-room environments (as opposed to a home or large building). These filters are effective for people who suffer from allergies or asthmatic symptoms.

Activated Carbon Air Filter

Activated carbon filters are highly-effective for removing odors from your home. Once allowed entry to your home, cigarette smoke, gas, chemicals and other odors can permeate a household and often be difficult to remove. This can be both annoying to those living in the home and even harmful to those with severe asthma. An activated carbon filter uses a system of tiny pores. Highly-absorbent, these pores attract particles by forming a chemical bond with the contaminants in the air.

Benefits Of Using Furnace Filters

There are several reasons why you should consider using an efficient furnace air filter. First, you want to breathe clean air while inside your home. Second, a good air filter will allow your air conditioning and heating system to operate efficiently, saving you money on heating bills and making you more comfortable at the same time. Third, a good air filter can remove particles and contaminants from the air you breathe. Breathing these elements over a long period of time is unhealthy. Finally, if you or someone in your household suffers from asthma or allergies, an air filter can be used to relieve much of that discomfort. Consider buying an efficient furnace air filter for your home as soon as possible.

For furnace filter reviews and articles to help you determine which furnace filter is best for your needs visit our site. Take part in surveys, have your questions answered or just let us share twenty years of industry experience.

Although swamp coolers and air conditioners were invented to turn hot air into cool, the science behind each method is quite different.

What is a swamp cooler?
It’s just another name for an evaporative cooler. Water is used to wet absorptive pads around the sides of the cooler. A fan or “squirrel cage” draws outside air through the pads and the air is cooled as the water in the pads evaporates. The major benefit of this type of cooler is that you only need to power a water pump and a fan to draw the air through the pads.

They typically use between three and 10 gallons of water per day. That’s equivalent to a few toilet flushes or, on the high end, a short shower.

Unless the relative humidity is lower than 30% or so, swamp coolers are not very effective. They work well in the southwest, west Texas, and parts of Idaho, Washington, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. In those areas you should be able to achieve a 20 degree differential between outside and inside.

Also, for a swamp cooler to remain effective it must exhaust as much air as it takes in. This means keeping a window open. If you don’t, the humidity will rise and so will the temperature of the air blown from the cooler.

Air conditioning, on the other hand, is popular because it will reliably dehumidify and cool the air, no matter where you live. This how an air conditioner works:

The compressor compresses cool Freon gas, causing it to become hot, high-pressure Freon gas. This hot gas runs through a set of coils so it can dissipate its heat, and it condenses into a liquid.
The Freon liquid runs through an expansion valve, and in the process it evaporates to become cold, low-pressure Freon gas. This cold gas runs through a set of coils that allow the gas to absorb heat and cool down the air inside.

Mixed in with the Freon is a small amount of lightweight oil that lubricates the compressor.

Swamp cooler vs air conditioner: which is cheaper to operate?

In our friendly contest the swamp cooler wins handily. For similar sized units, even an air conditioner with and Energy Star rating uses 4-5 times the power needed to run a swamp cooler.

The difference is the amount of energy required to power an air conditioner compressor versus the electric motors used in a swamp cooler.

Which is better for the outdoor environment?

Unless you believe that soon to be outlawed R-22 refrigerant leaking into the atmosphere from your air conditioner is a good thing, the swamp cooler wins again. The swamp cooler maintains a Green profile by mimicking nature’s way of cooling.

The way in which an air conditioner or swamp cooler affects the indoor environment of your home is determined by the way it circulates the air. Although an air conditioner re-circulates the same air, this is helpful in controlling allergens such as dust and pollen.

Since an open window is necessary when running a swamp cooler, you’ll be letting in what the air conditioner keeps out.

Swamp cooler vs air conditioner: Which one wins?

I think swamp coolers are a good option since they’re relatively less expensive and much cheaper to operate than air conditioning as long as you live in Phoenix, Arizona. But if you call Little Rock, Arkansas your home, nobody’s going to talk you out of your air conditioner.