| There are a few ways to make your house "Green" | | | | Drain the water heater all the way down. Disconnect |
| and save you some money also. Let's start with the | | | | the hose and turn the hose bib off. Turn the water |
| toilet. | | | | back on to the water heater and fill the water |
| On your existing toilet let's start with a leak test. You | | | | heater up. Bleed the air out of the system by turning |
| can do this by taking off the toilet lid and add a few | | | | your tub on to the hot side and let all the air out until |
| drops of food coloring into the tank. Wait a few | | | | water flows freely. Now turn the power back on to |
| minutes, do not flush the toilet. If the food coloring | | | | the heater and wait about 30 minutes and you will |
| starts to appear in the bowl, you have a leak. Usually | | | | have hot water again. |
| it is one of two things leaking: the flapper or the flush | | | | Tankless Water Heaters: Electric. |
| valve. Start with the flapper. It is easier to replace. | | | | The start up cost on these units can be quiet high. |
| Do the food coloring test again. If you get the | | | | For the electric units you will need to change the |
| coloring in the tank again the flush valve is leaking. To | | | | existing circuit breaker to a 60 amp breaker. You will |
| replace the flush valve is a little more complicated. | | | | then need to run new wire from the breaker to the |
| You will need to remove the toilet tank to replace | | | | water heater. As far as the plumbing, it is cold water |
| the flush valve. | | | | in, hot water out - pretty basic. What we have |
| Water Heaters: Tank type. There are a couple of | | | | found on some of the newer style pressure balance |
| things you can do here to help. Start with a timer. | | | | shower valves is that the tankless water heaters |
| You can install one of these units where the power | | | | have less pressure on the hot side, and it causes |
| comes into the heater. You can set the timer so that | | | | some pressure balance valves to have problems with |
| the unit turns off at night while you are asleep and | | | | the lower pressure. These units will not run more |
| have it turn on an hour before you wake up. | | | | than two bathrooms unless you go with a bigger 150 |
| You can also set it to turn off while at work. Just | | | | amp unit. You will notice a savings on your electric bill |
| remember that in the middle of the night you will still | | | | but you will need to factor in the start cost to find |
| have hot water that is still stored in the tank. | | | | the break even amount. |
| You can also drain the heater once a year to remove | | | | Tankless Water Heaters: Gas. |
| rust and other sediments from the bottom of the | | | | Again, the start up on these units is high. But if you |
| tank to help promote longer life of the water heater. | | | | do have access to gas, I highly recommend these |
| You can do this by turning the power off first to the | | | | units. We have put these units in gyms where people |
| heater, then hooking up a garden hose to the hose | | | | are using the showers all the time with no complaints. |
| bib at the bottom of the water heater. Run the hose | | | | The pressure balance valves can still be an issue, but |
| outside and turn the hose bib on slowly. Run it for a | | | | not as bad as the electric units. |
| few minutes and then turn the water off to the | | | | I hope some of these things can help you save |
| water heater up at the top where the cold water | | | | money and be "Green. |
| comes in. | | | | |