In the Utility Room
Cutting back on the amount of water you use for clothes washing will take
a little forethought. You'll find, however, that your efforts will be
doubly rewarded. Not only will you reduce water consumption but you'll
be saving on energy costs as well .
Reduce and Retrofit
An automatic clothes washer can use from 150 to 250 litres of
water for each cycle. That's about 20% of total indoor water use.
Many washers allow you to adjust the amount of water according to the
size of the wash load. If yours doesn't, let the laundry build up until
you have a full load before setting the machine in motion.
If you're investing in a washing machine, consider one of the new water
efficient machines. Choose a washer that allows you to practice
conservation by using features such as load size selector and variable
water control.
Up to 90% of the energy used for washing clothes goes to heat the
water. Washing in warm water not only cuts back on your energy bills, it's
easier on your clothes.
 When it comes to the hot water tank itself, a few simple measures
will save you water, and cut back on your water heating bills. A family of
four may spend as much as $600.00 per year to heat water. Depending on the
type of tank, some of that energy is wasted as stand-by
losses – heat lost through the walls of the tank – and, in
the case of gas or oil units, as heat lost through the exhaust stack.
By setting the thermostat back to 50°C, and insulating the tank and the
hot water pipes, you can reduce water heating costs by about 25% for an
investment of under fifty dollars. And you'll save water at the same
time. Because the insulation keeps the water hotter longer, less water
is wasted running the tap to get the desired temperature.
You can construct a heat trap for under $25 and it will pay back in
less than two years. Heat traps are easy to install; some can be snapped
into place with plastic fasteners.
Tankless or point-of-use water heaters are another option.
Tankless water heaters don't store hot water. They switch on after you
turn on the tap and a heat exchanger heats the water as it travels to the
spout. This eliminates both stand-by losses and heat lost through the hot
water pipes. They are, however, an expensive option, and do not perform
well in large households with large hot water demands. They are a good
choice at the cottage.
[Down the
drain?]
| 
Table of Contents
Previous