1. Reduce your hot water use

Wash most your clothes in cold water;
install low-flow fixture;
purchase energy efficient washer and dish washer;
fix any faucet leaks.

2. Lower your water heating temperature

You don’t need any temperature higher than 120ºF.

3. Insulate your water heater tank

Use pre-cut blankets to insulating your storage water heater tank. The cost is less than $25.

4. Insulate hot water pipes

Use quality pipe insulation wrap, or neatly tape strips of fiberglass insulation around the pipes, especially within 3 feet of the water heater.

5. Install heat traps on a water heater tank
Heat traps allow water to flow into the water heater tank but prevent unwanted hot-water flow out of the tank. The cost is about $30-40.

Source: EERE

Energy-efficient water heating system will not only provide enough hot water but also will do so energy efficiently, saving you money.

A passive solar home design uses the fundamental law of heat moves from warmer materials to cooler ones. So a passive solar home distributes heat throughout the whole house.

Some materials store heat better than others. Masonry materials, such as concrete, stones, brick, and tile, are commonly used as thermal mass in passive solar homes.

Well, ask around is the first step. Ask your relatives, co-workers, friends, and neighbors to find our whether they have worked with a contractor. Or pick up the phone book, and call and ask for licenses and insured contractors. Make sure ask them whether they have installed the same system before. If necessary, ask them for references if the job is big.

Just make sure the select the right person to handle the right job and install the energy saving systems correctly.

Ventilation is ineffective in hot, humid climates where temperature swings between day and night are small. In these climates, attic ventilation can help to reduce your use of air conditioning. Ventilating your attic greatly reduces the amount of accumulated heat, which eventually works its way into the main part of your house. Ventilated attics are about 30°F (16°C) cooler than unventilated attics. Properly sized and placed louvers and roof vents help prevent moisture buildup and overheating in your attic.

Source: EERE

The most common sizing mistake is in oversizing. This not only makes the new system more expensive to install, but also forces it to operate inefficiently, break down more often, and cost more to operate. Oversized heating equipment also often creates uncomfortable and large temperature swings in the house. Oversized air conditioners (and heat pumps) do not run long enough to dehumidify the air, which results in the “clammy” feeling and unhealthy mold growth in many air-conditioned houses.

Source: EERE, Department of Energy

Steam systems are generally less efficient than hot water heating systems, but the efficiency gain of upgrading to hot water is probably not worth the expense; it would be better instead to upgrade or replace your boiler. However, it is sometimes possible to convert existing steam distribution pipes to hot water heating, which reduces the cost of the system to the cost of the boiler, the baseboard heaters, and the installation labor. This is generally only feasible in newer two-pipe steam systems (that is, systems in which two pipes go to each radiator, one for the steam and one for the condensate return). For some homeowners, the aesthetic and space-saving benefits of eliminating the large steam radiators may be worth the expense.

Source: EERE, US Department of Energy

Here are some further tips on choosing contractors:

• Ask neighbors and friends if they have worked with a contractor they would recommend
• Focus on local companies
• Look for licensed, insured contractors
• Ask about previous experience
• Check references
• Inquire with the Better Business Bureau.

Use these methods to select several contractors, then get at least three detailed, written bids. Each bid should include an agreement to provide written calculations (listing the procedures and standards that will be followed), equipment and installation warranties, a payment schedule, and a firm completion date. Avoid making your decision solely on the basis of price. The quality of the installation should be your highest priority, because quality will determine energy cost, comfort, and durability.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

For both new and existing homes, it’s important to first maximize the energy efficiency of your home. This is the most cost-effective means of keeping your home comfortable, no matter what climate you live in. After doing so, be sure to do what you can to make use of passive solar heating in your home and consider whether ventilation can keep your house cool on warm days, or if you really need artificial cooling. Only after exploring these topics should you decide on the type of system you want and work with a contractor to figure out the optimum size for it.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy