High-Efficiency Water Heater in Your Custom Home

When it comes to modern home construction, you have an incredible array of options for bringing high-performance (and high efficiency) to your project – making your custom home healthier, smarter for the environment, and a great long term investment.

One such option is related to your water heater. Did you know that (according to Energy Star) about 15% of the energy consumed in a modern home goes to heating water?

It’s true! Most of that hot water (37%) gets used in the shower. Your clothes washing machine is the second-biggest guzzler (26%), followed by the dishwasher, bath and sink. Obviously it’s nice to have plenty of hot water for all of these functions – but there’s a more efficient way to heat the water in your modern home.

At Clarum, we believe high-performance water heaters are an integral addition to any custom home building project. That’s because high-performance water heaters are proven to consume up to 15% less energy than their conventional counterparts, which means your utility bill (and your home’s environmental footprint) are about to get smaller.

High-Performance Water Heaters: What are my options?

There are a variety of high-performance water heaters to choose from for your energy-efficient, modern home. For example, Energy.gov lists the following:

• Tank Heaters. These are designed to keep a supply of hot water ready for use at all times. There are energy-efficient models out there; however, because they’re always heating water even when you don’t need it, they’re always consuming energy too.
• Pump Heaters. Instead of generating their own heat, pump heaters transfer energy from the surrounding air into the water tank. They tend to be very efficient, but again, because they keep stored water hot even when you’re not using it, expect to see standby energy losses.
• Solar Heaters. They’re more expensive upfront, but solar heaters can reduce your water heating costs by as much as 90%. Usually they include a secondary heat source as a backup, because the sun doesn’t always shine. On those days, your energy savings will drop somewhat.
• On-Demand Tankless Heaters. These systems run water through a coil, heating only what you need, when you need it. They’re extremely efficient, especially when paired with low-flow fixtures. Though they have been critiqued in the past for running out of hot water when demand is excessive, modern designs on these systems have made that concern a moot point.

Ready to learn more about bringing high-performance and efficient building practices to your custom home building project? Give Clarum Homes a call at 650.322.7069 or download our High-Performance Home Building Guide to learn more.