How to size the outdoor pet heater?

Like other regular heating units, one crucial thing to concern before deciding to purchase the best one of outdoor pet heaters is the size! And there are some important points & steps that should be concerned on sizing, some of those points are; the ambient temperature of your local area, the pet’s house is well insulated or not, how many doors of the dog’s house (one or two), and the volume & large square feet of the house itself (you need to measure the height, length and width of the house). In order to encourage the efficiency performance, some of pet heating units are designed with radiant heating principle that will heat the dog or cat directly so thus the heater doesn’t need to heat the entire air in the pet’s house to keep warm your dog or your cat.

And it’s also so recommended to choose a unit that has thermostatically controller feature that will be helpful to make the heating system run and work more efficient. Once the desired temperature has been reached (usually around 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit), this feature will turn off the heater automatically and will turn on the heater automatically if the temperature is lower than the desired temperature. For more detailed to calculate the size, you can use a free service of the online dealer store, because in some cases, each product need or use different method to determine the proper size that you should choose.

What kind of outdoor pet heater you should choose?

Like mentioned before, there are a lot of brands and models to choose from. And according to some reviews on internet, below are two of top products that you should prioritize on your first list to keep warm your lovely dogs or cat:

(1). Hound dog heaters

They are specially designed to be used in outdoor dog kennels, and manufactured by Akoma! Most of their products is designed with a smart thermostatically controller and this feature is not replaceable.  As the name suggests, hound dog heaters are safe enough to be used around dogs with relatively easier for the installation. There is no any assembly for the installation.

(2). Heated-pads from Lectro-Kennel

As the name implies, they are warm-comfortable pads to keep dogs or cats warm in the cold months of winter. This product is great idea to provide and supply warmth for the calm pets. Moreover, they are safe enough and designed in low voltage. There are three choices of the size of shape (large, medium, and small). With nice programmable thermostat, the pad will be able to maintain the warm temperature more efficient. They are powerful enough to maintain 102 degrees of Fahrenheit, and also supported to be mounted on the wall or placed on the floor.

Read also the other post: how to size pond heater!

Outdoor Pet Heater: How to Size It? is a post from: More Heaters

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And eventually pellet fuel appliances are discovered which use the amount of small pellets (1 to 2.9/7.9 – for the length) to be burned. Most of pellets are usually made and produced from waste paper, compacted sawdust, agricultural friendly crop waste, bark, wood chips or other organic properties. There are some popular wood- and pellet-burning appliances, including fireplaces, pellet stoves (boilers), masonry heaters, pellet fuel appliances, and so on! And there are also available some types of pellet fuel appliances that can be used to burn different biomass fuels, such as; beet pulp, soybeans, dried-cherry pits, wood chips (small chips), beet-pulp, cherry pits (dried), corn-cornels, etc. And

Like mentioned before, appliances of wood- and pellet-burning are available in several types with different powerful size, more efficient performance, and cleaner burning. Let’s to the point, below are some helpful checklists on choosing, selecting and installing wood- and pellet-heating appliances:

1. Like while using regular heaters, size is so crucial. Your wood- and pellet-burning must be sized correctly to the large space that will be heated. Don’t think that bigger size is better! Too big size will lead to inefficiency performance of the burning system while it is heating the space. Moreover, bigger size also tends to burn fires improperly (at a not-high smolder in order prevent overheating condition) that eventually will make the system produce more air pollution and waste more fuel (higher cost). According to Energysavers.gov; stoves that have size around 24,000 BTUs are designed to heat around 1,300 sq-ft, and 60,000 BTUs for around 2,000 sq-ft.
2. In fact, using wood fireplaces or wood-burning will produce large quantities of unfriendly chemical compounds that can be pollutants (particularly for rural areas), such as CO (carbon monoxide), Nitrogen-Oxides, unfriendly organic gases, and so on. Theses unfriendly chemical compounds also will be adverse to the health of human body, especially for human respiratory organs. Therefore, not all regions or areas permit to use wood-burning appliances. So before deciding to choose and install wood- and pellet-heating appliance, make sure your local area is qualified to use it! Ask to a local building code department or state environmental agency if necessary.
3. How about if you have an older unit and you want to replace or update it with the new one that has newest technology and friendlier either for environment or for your pocket (you pay lower cost for the monthly utility bills during winter). Well, make sure you consider and upgrading to one that is qualified with the newer technology certified by EPA (U.S Environmental Protection Agency).
4. If there is available a wood-heating appliance (non-catalytic) with a catalytic combustor and you have a plan to retrofit it, one of the best recommendations is by purchasing a catalytic damper. Don’t forget to also install and use at least 1 heat sensor and install it on the stove pipe or stove body. This sensor has function to monitor the temperature of the stove, especially after adding and installing a catalytic combustor. In addition, there are also available retrofit kits and you can find them in the wood stove retailers of your local area. But, not all of them are supported to be used for all models of stoves! Don’t miss to read again the manual’s guidelines for the proper installation & operation.
5. Consider also the location for the installation (especially chimney) and make sure you choose the right location or position that can distribute and conserve the heat maximally and properly. For better result, there must be a way for the heat to be able to circulate properly to the rest of the home.
6. Wrong installation can lead to poor performance of the system (inefficient performance) or even can lead to potential risks like fire accident! Chose the right contractor or professional to make sure your wood- or pellet-heating appliance is properly, correctly and safely installed.

Other Guides: Removing ice dams during winter, Basic & simple guide on how to install electric hot water heater, and Types of radiant heating systems!

Appliances of Wood- and Pellet-Heating (Burning) | Choosing-Installing is a post from: More Heaters

What you should consider before installing solar technology?

One important point before deciding to install solar technology is by making ensure first that the building (your home) is as energy efficient as it can be! There are some options to improve the energy efficient of a building, like by deciding to install double glazing, proper solid or cavity wall insulation, loft insulation for the roof, using the newest efficient technology of boiler, etc. These options are so helpful to increase the efficiency performance of a building, particularly if you seriously want to cut or push down the high energy bill that can drain your pocket drastically for each month. You can also find other renewable technologies that are most suitable to improve the energy efficient of your home more optimally by visiting independent sources like EST sites so thus you will find and get the correct information. This idea is also useful to make sure you will get and install the correct solar panel product for your home, because there are some cases that some salesmen of solar panel products are mis-selling.

Understanding types of solar panels that are most suitable for your home!

Based on how to capture the energy of the sunlight, solar panels are divided into two major categories that are passive and active!

Passive solar concepts

When talking about passive types then designing & redesigning are so important to capture and explore the sunlight energy so that your home will be optimal to make the most of the sun. An instance of simple idea that can be so useful to make the most of the sun is by considering using more insulation to the roof or adding an extra south-facing window so that the sun’s heat will be better to be captured. To get the better result, it is better to consider passive elements when the building is being major refurbishment or being built.

Active solar technologies

Mostly they involve installing and setting a solar collector, particularly like a panel in order to collect and gather the energy of the sun’s heat. Two popular types of active solar panels are PV panels (photovoltaic) and solar water heating. Both may look similar but they are actually quite different!

Solar photovoltaic panels

They are relatively more expensive and usually can be purchased around £11,900-£12,000 for an average system (depending on the type and the size of the system), but fortunately generous financial support is now available and to find more about pieces of helpful information about the feed-in tariff visit this site. And generally, the following are some helpful simple tips to find, buy & get the best and the most efficient solar photovoltaic that can work efficiently in long term for your home, so you will get the best deal:

1. Is your home suitable for installing solar PV panels? How do you know that? Well, there are some issues to consider and check from your house. PV system will work at its best performance & its best power output if there is available a mainly south-facing roof with no shade or little shade, and there is no plan to move house anytime soon. A south-east or south-west-facing roof is also not too bad idea but the system will get less power out. Don’t miss also to check & consider the robustness & age of the roof of your home because PV panels are usually heavy (not light).

2. How about the size? It depends on the amount of the electricity that you need and the space available in the roof of your home. Avoid purchasing and installing over size (too large) system as you cannot meet one hundred percent of your requirement with solar PV. Make sure that surveyor of the company for the installation will completely understand about the amount of your electricity use! So you get the system that is sized correctly.

3. How to find and make a deal with a reputable and credible installation company? One thing that must be concerned is about the MCS certification, so make sure to choose installer that is MCS-certified. Perhaps here is helpful link for you about this issue.

4. And you should know that there are also some companies that use and adopt pressure-selling techniques like a large on-the spot discounts. You can report such firms by contacting ‘Real Assurance Scheme’.

5. Don’t miss to make sure that the installation is finished properly, especially for the panel installation! Ensure you don’t end up with panels overhanging the house’s roof. The panels should be safe from the risk of wind blowing, therefore there should be available at least ten centimeters between the house’s roof edge & the last panel, which also helpful for ease of access.

6. Make sure the surveyors will do the following; (a) make & create written notes of all data, especially the measurements of the roof for the installation of solar panels, (b) check the condition of the roof either the outside or inside, (c) they usually use the proper access tools & equipment to analyze the quality of the roof (especially its strength), (d) record and find potential condition of shade that can disturb how much the solar energy will be gathered, (e) measure the angle of the house’s roof and learn the loft of the house, (f) consider and check your metering & consumer unit / fuse box, (g) examine any main electrical appliances, (h) after they look around the house then they will discuss with you about where the ideal location to install and place the equipment and cables, (i) and ask to your surveyor about an in-depth quote like terms & conditions of warranties, pieces of information about module/ panel, details of scaffolding costs & inverter, the rate and percentage of savings and return, etc!

Solar water heating panels

They are familiar known as solar thermal that use panels fitted in the roof in order to gather & collect the sun’s energy that eventually will be used to heat water. And fortunately, households that have solar water heating panels (from Oct 2012) are qualified to receive RHI (Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive scheme). RHI will guarantee regular tariff payments for twenty years, depending on the amount of renewable energy that can be generated.

And the following are pieces of helpful information when you want to install and get the best solar water heating panels for your home:

1. Prioritize choosing a reputable solar company! Once again, consider only companies that are MCS-certified.

2. Before deciding to install solar water heating system, it is much better to consider first about the costs and savings. Typically, installation of solar water heating panels will spend around £2,999 to 4,999! And will be potential to save money around £50-£60 for every year on the energy bills. If you use an electric heating unit, you may get bigger savings. Consider also about the feed-in tariff (RHI) from Oct 2012.

3. Consider the location for the installation! Choose the right location so that the system will capture the sun’s energy optimally. In order to get the maximum efficiency, it is better to choose a south-facing roof at a 30 degree angle to put and place the solar panels. Make sure the location for the installation of the panels is far away from the potential risk of shade, either from chimneys, building, or trees. And don’t forget to make sure all panels are not too difficult for access because panels will need regular maintenance.

4. Perhaps you require applying for planning permission for solar panels. In order to get the correct information, you can contact your local council. For this issue, here is helpful link for you. In addition, there are also three additional major components to install solar water heating system that are the cylinder to gather hot water temporarily, pipe-work, and thermostat. Moreover some combi boilers that support for pre-heated water can be combined with solar water heating system but others (combi boilers that don’t accept pre-heated water) cannot be combined.

UK Solar Panels for Your Home (Photovoltaic and Solar Water Heating) is a post from: More Heaters

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Well, naturally the heat in the room will rise upwards and finally escape via the roof. By installing proper and adequate insulation in the loft, this problem can be anticipated to improve the energy efficiency of the heating unit. So the heat will keep in the room and therefore the heating unit will run and warm up the room continuously without requiring and consuming higher energy but it will consume less energy. And the situation will be much better if you use a modern heating unit that usually can work more efficient than conventional heaters. If you seriously want to push down the energy bill and you want your unit will be a good investment in long term then there are some eco-friendly heating technologies to choose from, for better life in the future, particularly such as solar heating system, geothermal heating system, etc.

Types of loft insulation!

Loft insulations are available in two major types that are (1) loose granular beads and (2) blanket type material on a roll!

1. Loose granular insulation! There are many experts who say that this type is not too recommended for draughty lofts. Yes, we can install it for draughty lofts not too difficultly around joint areas, in loft with restricted entryway, or awkward piping but the result will not too optimal.

2. Blanket loft insulation! It is typically designed from mineral wool or fiberglass. The ideal thickness is around 270 millimeter. There are usually not available enough for this depth of insulating material in place for the most houses with insulation already close-fitting, therefore it is worth inspecting and even upgrading if necessary. For eco-friendly option, you can also choose insulating materials that are designed from unused newspaper, sheep’s wool or even hemp!

How about your house, is it suitable to install loft insulation?

Well, however loft insulation is one of effective ways to improve the energy efficiency. But for more optimal result and for more easily installation, loft insulation is so recommended for typical house that has loft space. For the installation, generally the insulation will be simply rolled out between joists. Then layer is required and it is positioned over the joists. This layer is also helpful to make sure the depth is 270 millimeter.

Next, how about the cost required that you have to pay for the installation? Well, the cost varies and depending on the large size of the property. Example, the cost is around £275 with standard depth (250 millimeter) for insulating a regular 3 bedroom properties.

Loft Insulation for Better Energy Efficiency! is a post from: More Heaters

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With improper planning, the budget to repair or service a boiler system can drain your pocket seriously. By having a boiler insurance policy, this amount can be decreased to as little as £8.9 /month with the extra bonus of peace of mind should whatsoever go incorrect! Therefore, there are a lot of experts who recommend taking an insurance policy to guarantee for emergencies and repairs, (like British Gas Home-Care)! So the conclusion is boiler insurance will be helpful for you to save your money from the high cost to service or repair your boiler unit! What you should know else and what to look for when you are choosing a boiler insurance?

One thing that you have to look for is choosing who to sign in it from! Don’t be satisfied if you get your power from a certain supplier because this does not mean with the same company we have to take out insurance. Therefore, it is more recommended to shop and take around so thus we will get a better deal on offer. Always remember that price should be prioritized but the quality must be the numero-uno (number one) ha2x! Not all of insurers will offer and give the same level of service to cover, therefore learn more and concern carefully about what each policy will include!

Some policies may offer other additional insurances, like the full central heating cover (including hot water, radiators, pipes, etc), while others only can offer a single boiler insurance. Even there are also some that can cover a yearly cost of boiler service… Wow excellent! In many cases, it is setting you back around £ 69.9 so therefore you should include this in the policy.

You can also choose to insurance all your drains, electrical wiring or even your plumbing. This is typically for the top of the range policies. Yes, this is satisfied service but will be costly (upwards of £29.9 for each month).

As well we know, there are a lot of insurers that offer vary in the amount of call outs & claims included in every package! Some will offer a satisfied unlimited access and others may only cover for up to 2-3 emergency call outs (for every year). Yes there are a lot of choices and mostly for the first they will only pay out for around £ 1499.9 – £999.9 of costs incurred!

Well, it is better to estimate and consider the possibility of repairs requiring to be carried out & other expenditures. If you have an old system then you need an expensive plan to consider the likelihood of primer repairs being necessary in the short term (not too distant future)! And on other hand for a new home that usually has a recently installed central heating & boiler then we are less likely to require an expensive plan. And don’t miss to ensure your boiler model is included to the insurance policy that you take out. Moreover, some insurance policies will not give boiler insurance for the first 30 days when the cover is taken out.

In addition, there are several insurers that will not cover insurance for any boilers more than 14 years old. Even others will take an inspection carried out if the unit was installed for more than 7 years ago. And in several cases, we will not get boiler insurance for boilers over a particular age. So, it is also important to assess the age of your boiler correctly!

The last, always remember to compare between one boiler insurance policies to others so thus you will get the best deal.

Other posts: Electric Fireplace VS Gas Fireplace!

Boiler Insurance: Should You Consider It! is a post from: More Heaters

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Although there are now available a lot of heating appliances, from one that still uses a conventional technology to others that use more modern technology and even with eco-friendly heating technology. But there are also many people who still love to use oil-filled or conventional convection heaters! And if you are one of them (you have a plan to buy and use a convection heater) there are some considerations that you should concern so thus you will get a successful purchase!

First, make sure the unit that you are purchasing will suit to your needs! Convection heaters are basically designed to afford background warmth. This means they will warm up the air near the body or element of the unit. The warm air then will be circulated by natural convection process around the room. In order to make the unit can heat the air more quickly; they are usually equipped with a fan or more than one fan! Some popular types of convection heaters are: oil-filled column heating unit, box-type (relatively cheaper with a grille at the top & a heating element in the bottom), night-storage unit which is usually permanently installed and equipped with off-peak night-rate electricity, and panel model which is also mount-permanently installed on the wall.

How convection heaters work?

Well, commonly (like mentioned before) they heat the air around the unit initially. Then the heated air will rise and be replaced by lower temperature air which is in turn heated! This mechanism will make an air movement to warm up the room. The result is a room where the highest-temperature air inclines to be near the top of the room and the lowest-temperature air at the room floor. At the cost of extra noise, fans will stir up the air & help even out this temperature layering!

Consider features of the unit!

Feature will be helpful for a user not only for operating but also associated to the efficiency:

1. Check the controls! Make sure they are clearly visible and easily accessed and easily to use! Choose the unit that has clearly marking (easily to read).

2. Choose the unit that also has timer feature. It is helpful feature to allow you warm up a room before you arrive home from work or get up in the morning. You can use timer to determine the duration of when the unit will run continuously and when it will turn off automatically.

3. Take a look at the fan! Well, it is an effective method to warm air in a room more quickly and to break up the layers of cold. But unfortunately, while the fan is running then you may hear unfriendly noise. Therefore, buy unit that can work more noiseless by checking the performance of fan.

4. Frost-watch feature! As the name implies, this feature has function to prevent frost, particularly when the thermostat is left on too low setting!

5. Consider about the mobility! Oil-filled heaters are usually difficultly to move due to their shape and size. But there are also available the ones that can be moved not too difficultly with a helpful recessed handle at the control panel end and even also equipped with 4 casters or wheels!

6. Prioritize also to choose the unit that has cord-storage feature which will be useful to stow the cord neatly, particularly while the unit is not in use.

7. Don’t forget to the thermostat feature, it has crucial function to set a desired average room temperature accurately.

Don’t miss about the safety issue!

A convection heater will be so helpful and even the most important home appliance during winter. But be careful it also can lead a high risk of fire accident, especially if user doesn’t obey on how to operate it properly. But there are now also some options to minimize the hazards. Some of them are thermal cutout (useful to shut down the unit automatically while it is overheating) and tilt switch (useful to turn off the unit if it overturns).

In addition, don’t forget to make sure you choose the unit that has the right size as well as the large size of your room. Avoid getting opinion that bigger size is better (this is wrong assumption)!

Image source: Amazon.Com

Convection Heaters: What to Consider Before Purchasing? is a post from: More Heaters

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Then for vented combustion units are relatively safer than unvented models. They are usually installed permanently which usually located next to an outside wall, therefore we can use a ceiling to install the flue gas vent or we can also install it directly via the wall to the outside. Consider for -100 percent outdoor air- or sealed-combustion units, which usually are already designed with a duct to take outside into the combustion chamber. This point is one of the reasons why sealed combustions units are more recommended if we are looking for much safer units. With their different mechanism of not drawing in the heated air from the room & then exhaust it to the outside; they can work more efficient than other types of space heaters. Furthermore, they are also great selection to give positive effect to the indoor air quality.

Unsealed combustion units are relatively less expensive but also relatively less efficient and even can lead to a high risk of fire accident, because they are usually not designed with a sealed glass front that has important function to keep room air from the fire.

Well, there are general safety guidelines that you must consider as well to use safely any combustion space heaters, take a few minutes to read these pieces of helpful information below:

1. If you want to choose using liquid-fueled units then make sure to always choose only the approved fuel. Avoid using gasoline and don’t miss to check and read the manufacture’s fueling instructions. Don’t ever try to refill a unit that is still hot! Never overfill the unit; because this is so important for the expansion of the liquid-fuel. And always remember to only choose approved and qualified containers clearly marked for that particular fuel, avoid storing them indoors, you must store them outdoors.

2. Sign a contract for the proper maintenance with a local qualified heating contractor to inspect your unit, at least once a year. This professional inspection is so important to make sure there is no problem with your unit, such as to make sure your unit is vented properly and it can work properly. In addition, Carbon Monoxide can be produced and finally enters the room causing sickness and even death if the unit is not properly set up.

Read also: Electric heating units and Ducted heating systems!

Space Heaters (Unvented-Vented Combustion) is a post from: More Heaters

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Today’s new hot water heaters are available in a wide range of options! Therefore you will have a lot to consider when choosing the best one of them for your lovely home! You must choose one that is not only will be able to provide adequate hot water for you and your family demand but also don’t miss to look for its efficiency performance otherwise you will pay a high cost for the monthly energy bill. So, it’s so important for you to consider first about the different models or types of them that are currently available, choosing the right BTUs size, determining fuel source type that meet to the specification of your local area.

The following are the different types of water heaters that are currently available on the market:

1. Indirect water heaters (tankless coil)! This type applies the space heating system to heat the water. With the proper installation & maintenance of the combination between water and space heating system you can get its optimum efficiency. Some factors to look for with the installation of this type are climate condition, fuel type, safety issues, and building code requirements of your local area. And some issues that must be considered as well when you want to choose & hire a heating contractor: ask the cost estimates in writing, request for references, use your local better business (bureau) to check the heating contract company that you’re purchasing, and then make sure the company will obtain a local permit so thus they can understand completely about your local area, such as about the local building codes. In addition, this type is usually purposed for new construction but you can also find several retrofit units that can be used together with an existing hot water heater.

2. Solar systems (eco-friendly heating technology)! As the name implies, they use solar energy of the sunlight as source power (it is free energy resource). Before deciding to choose and install this type, there are some familiar issues to look for: (a) analyze the economics as well, which usually dependent on the efficiency performance of the system itself, geographic location, and the prices range of familiar fuels in your local area (such as oil, gas, propane, etc), (b) consider the maximum and minimum your local’s solar resource all year round, (c) calculate the size correctly, and (d) don’t miss to learn and check the local codes, regulations or covenants!

3. Heat pump system! This type typically requires a high cost for the installation. But with its excellent efficiency performance (much lower operating costs), it can pay itself for a few years in the future. And two crucial issues that must be concerned before deciding to install it are: (a) concern to the right BTUs size and first hour rating, and (b) consider “EF value or Energy Factor” of the system, it indicates the entire energy efficiency performance of the unit (based on the number of hot water produced /unit of fuel required over a typical 24 hours). In addition, if you are considering using an integrated space heating, air cooling and water heating then there are two recommendations that are geothermal heat pumps and air-source heat pumps.

4. Tankless hot water heater (demand water heater)! Like the name implies (tankless), it does not need a storage-tank because it will heat and produce hot water only as it is required. Therefore, it doesn’t generate the standby energy losses (the big downside of a conventional tank-storage model). This design is the key why tankless systems are more superior (have a better energy efficiency performance) than conventional tank-storage systems.

5. The last is the conventional storage water heating systems. They still use a storage-tank to hold and store an amount of hot water temporarily. Like mentioned before, this concept is the big downside (inefficient performance) of them which can lead to a high heat-energy loss!

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Read also other Guides: Helpful information about hot water heater problems and How to replace its thermostat?

Types of Hot Water heaters! is a post from: More Heaters

We all agree that water heating is one of home activities that require a lot of energy, especially during coldest winter when the natural light energy of the sunlight is so difficult to be found. The energy bill that you must pay for every month is probably something that always will be a problem that can drain your pocket seriously. Therefore, it is so reasonable that there are a lot of homeowners who are looking for any options to keep low their monthly energy bill. Fortunately, there are also several ideas and options to help you to get a low energy bill of your water heating activity. Well, let’s explore more those ideas right here!

# First, for more energy savings, you have to reduce hot water use! There are some options to do it, such as:

1. Check regularly your hot water heater to find and fix any leaks! The leaks usually can be found in pipes, faucets or showerheads. You should know that a single leak of one drip /second will cost around $1 /month! And if you find a complex leak in the tank, it is better to purchase a new water heater.

2. Avoid using a high-flow fixture! But it is better to choose and use one (low-flow fixture) that has specification (80 pounds/square inch for the water pressure, lower than 2.5 gallons/minutes for the flow rate). Ideally, the fixture should not exceed 2.2 gallons/minute (at 60 psi) or 2.5 gallons/minute (at 80 psi). This new low-flow fixture can be purchased around $15 – $21.

3. Replace your old showerhead model by new one that has 2.5 gallons/minute for the flow rate. Today, you will find two major types of showerhead; laminar-flow and aerating.

4. Use a new faucet that has aerator which will be helpful to restrict the flow rate of the faucet up to 2.2 gallons/minute to 0.5 gallons/minute. In addition, there are also available new models of faucets that are designed with shut-off-valve feature. It is helpful to discontinue the flow of hot water without inflicting the temperature.

5. Avoid using any clothes washers and dishwashers that work inefficiently. Concern to the energy-guide label & the performance of the booster heater when purchasing a new dishwasher. For clothes washers, make sure you buy one with an energy-star label!

# Other idea to get a lower energy bill is by familiarizing with a lower water heating temperature!

This is one of simple ideas to get a low energy bill of your water heating activity. If you want to save 3-5 percent in energy costs, you can reduce the heating temperature around 10 degrees Fahrenheit. There are several manufactures that set their thermostat products at around 140 degrees Fahrenheit for the standard operation. In fact most of household usually only need at around 120 degrees Fahrenheit!

By setting your thermostat at around 120 degrees Fahrenheit is also great idea to make longer lifetime of the heater and pipes, because it can be effective method to minimize the corrosion & mineral buildup.

# Don’t forget to insulate the tank & pipes!

Insulation is one of effective option to reduce the heat loss. Adding insulation to the storage tank will be helpful to decrease standby heat losses up to more than 25 percent and even with the right insulation can reduce heat losses up to 24 percent, wow excellent. But if your storage tank is already equipped with at least R-24 (high R-value of insulation), I think you don’t have to insulate the tank anymore! A tank with a high R-value is usually not too warm when your hand is touching it.

The insulation for the tank of gas water heater and the tank of electric water heater is different. One thing that you should know; the cost for adding insulation is not too expensive and even it can pay for itself in around a year!

Then adding insulation to the pipes (particularly within three feet of the water heater) is also welcome idea for energy savings! This idea also can reduce the heat loss and on other hand can increase the water temperature for around 2-4 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also so recommended if you want to insulate & isolate the cold water inlet pipes, especially for the first 3 feet.

To get more completely information about this insulation (either for the tank or pipes) you can contact a local heating contractor or you can search guides on how to do it by searching a related keywords via Google or Bing.

# Considering heat traps for the storage tank!

Some of modern water heaters are now already equipped with heat traps! But if your unit still doesn’t have them, you can add them to save your money around $15 to $31 on your energy bill. Heat traps are superior to prevent convective heat losses via outlet or inlet pipes. Heat traps are usually supported by loops or valves of pipe to prevent undesired hot-water flow out of your tank. The valves usually also have function to discontinue convection because they are equipped with balls inside that either sink or float into a seat. In addition, installing heat traps are difficult, especially for anyone who doesn’t have adequate skill. Therefore, it is so recommended to hire a professional & qualified plumbing to do it properly and professionally.

# For electric water heater, install a timer!

Timer is also popular feature that nowadays can be found in many new modern electric water heaters. But if your electric hot water heater still doesn’t have it, you must install it to get more energy savings. This feature is so helpful to allow user can set the long time duration of the operation of the unit. Even it can make the unit will turn off automatically at night, particularly when we do not use the unit or during our utility’s high demand times. But timer is not welcome idea for gas water heaters due to their pilot lights.

# And don’t miss to also consider drain-water heat recovery!

In fact, any high temperature water that goes down the drain will carry hot energy with it. This is typically around 79 percent or 91 percent of the energy used to heat water in a house. According to this fact, it is so important for you to consider grey-water heat recovery (or drain-water recovery) to capture and reuse this energy that eventually can be used to preheat the water. For further information, you can contact a qualified plumbing of your local area. As additional information, the prices-range of drain-water recovery systems is around $299 to $501! And for the installation cost is usually relatively cheaper for new home construction.

Image source: Amazon.Com

Other posts: How to vent gas garage heater , Electric baseboard heater, and Goodman heat pump!

Water Heating: How to Get Low Energy Bill? is a post from: More Heaters

Why you should choose portable electric heaters?

Well, there are a lot of benefits and advantages that we can get! As the name suggests, they are flexible enough in installation and also can be practically to be moved from one location to another, therefore we can use them to heat a certain unreachable space in your house.

Portable units are typically smaller in power heating capacity that can be used for supplementary heating. With their mobile feature, (especially for radiant heating models) they can be nice option for spot heating that eventually will be welcome option for energy saving.

Furthermore, we just only spend lower cost to purchase, because they are usually priced more affordable than central heating systems.

Top 3 portable electric heaters

TCH7592ER Delonghi (ceramic fan heating unit)

Which.co.uk

Cons:

1. You have to attach the base before using the unit!
2. More controls that we have to learn and understand before beginning to use and operate this unit!

Pros:

1. Excellent performance to maintain a steady temperature, especially in the ‘auto mode’.
2. Equipped with (frost-guard protection, fan-tower type and ceramic tower heating) to make easier on operating & using this unit.
3. Small but powerful enough to heat more quickly as long as you use the unit in the right square feet area (the heating output is 2.2 kW). Moreover, the unit is also supported to oscillate on distributing the heated air evenly.
4. This product is efficient enough (less energy required when the unit is working)
5. And quiet enough when running with lower level of decibel value.

HVR9033Retro Delonghi

Which.co.uk

Cons:

1. The power heating output is slightly less powerful than expected. According to which.co.uk – the power is closer to (2.6 kilo watts) than (2.8-3 kilo watts).
2. Cannot work as noiseless as TCH7592ER Delonghi! But the noise is not too noisy.

Pros:

1. Equipped with a special fan to heat the space and also useful for frost-guard.
2. Can work quickly on heating.
3. Easy to use, even for beginners.
4. Efficient enough when working.
5. It also has good thermostatic control.

BFH 265 Bionaire

Which.co.uk

Cons:

1. This product is not widely available!
2. Not quick enough to heat the room.
3. The user may require pressing the mode button to get the right setting (you may need to press the button up to 12 times).

Pros:

1. Less care for the maintenance.
2. The temperature setting is designed from 24 degrees of Celsius to 16 degrees of Celsius.
3. Available for non-oscillating model.
4. Good thermostatic control.
5. It offers more portability in design.

The other posts: Safety checklists on how to use oil heater safely and the installation of electric convection heat!

Top 3 Best Portable Electric Heaters is a post from: More Heaters

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