Category Archives: Green Solutions

Everyone is trying to be greener and more environmentally responsible these days. That’s definitely a good thing for our earth and future generations. The plumbing industry is no exception. If you’re not familiar with some of the following plumbing products, this post will help you discover and hopefully install some of these items in your home:

Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters are becoming very popular. Instead of keeping a large amount of water heated and ready for use at all times, the tankless models heat water on demand. Probably the biggest advantage is that you never run out of hot water. And because the device isn’t keeping water warm 24 hours a day, tankless water heaters are much more energy efficient. In addition, tankless water heaters send less CO2 into the atmosphere and result in less landfill usage because they are smaller in size (a little larger than a briefcase).

Low Flow Toilets

Take, for example, low flow toilets. Traditional toilets use six gallons of water per flush (GPF). In the mid 1990s, water conservation laws made it mandatory that toilets use 1.6 (GPF). While the first models were water efficient, their performance lacked a little. Sometimes the amount of water wasn’t enough to clean the bowl. Manufacturers made improvements in the design and today’s low flow or high efficiency toilets work great and conserve water. There’s even a dual-flush design that allows you to choose one flush for liquids and a different flush for solid waste.

Water Conserving Faucets & Showerheads

These are some of the bigger items that are making it easier to be environmentally responsible, but there are smaller items as well. Water saving faucets and showerheads conserve water without sacrificing flow. Touchless faucets are becoming popular for home use as well, and not only do they conserve water, but they turn off automatically when not in use so there is no way kids can accidentally leave the faucet running when they leave the bathroom.

When purchasing plumbing products for your home, look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense products are backed by independent third party certification and meet the EPA’s specifications for water efficiency and performance. These high efficiency products provide the same performance and quality you’ve come to expect, but with the added benefit of water savings. So, when you use WaterSense labeled products, you can be sure you’ll be saving water without sacrificing function. All of these green products not only save water, but ultimately save homeowners on energy and water bills to boot. It’s definitely getting easier to be green! Call Home Comfort Experts and ask us about our green plumbing products when you need plumbing repairs, replacement or installation in Fort Wayne, South Bend, Laporte or anywhere in between. Together we can save the world.

In The Muppet Movie, Kermit the Frog sang “It’s Not That Easy Being Green”, but actually, with all the new environmentally friendly products on the market today, it’s really not that hard anymore. Thanks to technology, a higher consumer awareness, and our government’s dedication to cleaning up the environment, new heating and cooling products exist that make our lives better while simultaneously helping the environment.

High-Efficiency Furnaces

The AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is a unit that determines the percentage of fuel turned into heat, and the amount of gas that has been exhausted through the flue. This is the unit of measurement used by the industry to determine energy efficiency. Older furnace models made in the 1970s will typically have a rating of 65% efficiency. Today’s furnaces must have a rating of at least 78%, but some have a rating of 90 – 98% AFUE, meaning that 90-98% of the fuel is utilized, while only 5 – 10% is exhaust. The higher the AFUE, the higher the efficiency of the furnace. High-efficiency furnaces do cost more initially, but the savings is usually recouped in energy savings if you stay in your home for five to 10 years. Going from a traditional furnace to a high-efficiency furnace (90% plus) should save you between 25% and 30% of your current heating costs.

High-Efficiency Air Conditioners

High-efficiency air conditioners make cooling your home more energy efficient as well. Energy Star qualified central air conditioners have higher seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) and energy efficiency ratio (EER) ratings, which makes them about 14% more efficient than standard models. The Energy Star website says that if your air conditioner is more than 12 years old, replacing it with an Energy Star qualified model could reduce your cooling costs by 30%. Plus, the refrigerant R-22 (commonly known as Freon) has been banned from production by the government and replaced with more environmentally friendly refrigerants. Newer air conditioners are designed to use the new, eco-friendly refrigerant.

Programmable Thermostats

These little gems are a super easy way to save money on your air conditioning and heating bills on top of the savings you’ll see with more efficient furnaces and air conditioners. They make controlling your home’s temperature easy and convenient and also reduce energy consumption which is good for the environment. According to the Energy Star website, you can save about $180 a year by properly setting your programmable thermostat and maintaining those settings.

Save Energy and Money

Imagine reducing your South Bend heating and cooling bills by 25%-30%. That would mean energy savings year round. While the initial cost of these high-efficiency systems is higher than lower efficiency models, you can get that money back in lower heating and air conditioning bills every month after for as long as you live in your home. It’s nice to know you can save some green while you’re being green. For more information on high-efficiency furnaces and air conditioners, give us a call. One of our Home Comfort Experts technicians can help you learn more.

It’s clear that we no longer have the luxury of ignoring the health of our planet. That’s why there are countless individuals and businesses who are working to protect the environment. Through recycling programs, cleanup efforts and sustainable food choices, these groups are making a real difference in their community and in the world at large.

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According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average family spends $2,200 in energy costs annually, with 46 percent of that going toward heating and cooling the home. Homeowners can trim these costs by choosing their HVAC contractor carefully.

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