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Boost Cash Flow and Save Energy with Low-Flows

Posted on: Tuesday, 3 March 2009, 09:39 CST

Adjusting water use can reduce electricity use and save money

CHICAGO, March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Meeting consumer water needs requires a considerable amount of energy. Water heating alone can account for up to 25 percent of the energy consumed in a home. Whether water is being dispensed, heated or used to clean dishes and clothes, electricity is being used - contributing to monthly electricity bills. Further, cleaning all of the water used by homes and businesses in wastewater treatment plants requires huge amounts of electricity to run wastewater pumps. ComEd recommends several steps to adjust water use so customers use electricity more efficiently.

"Part of our mission is to help customers understand how they use energy so that they can better manage their energy budgets and environmental footprints," said Val R. Jensen, vice president, Marketing and Environmental Programs, ComEd. "Often the small things - like using water more efficiently - can translate into real cost savings that also pay-off in reduced environmental impact."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. As a result, a key recommendation is to reduce the amount of hot water you use throughout your home. ComEd offers customers the following energy efficiency tips for home water usage:

Water Heater

• Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120°F. Every 10-degree reduction of hot water temperature can save, on average, 3 to 5 percent in energy costs.
• Take showers instead of baths, which typically require more water than showers. Taking a shower with a low-flow nozzle can reduce water consumption by 40 percent compared to bathtub use.
• If you have an electric water heater, install a thermal blanket or insulation on the water heater tank, which can reduce standby losses 25 to 45 percent and save you 4 to 9 percent on your water heating costs. Also consider insulating all accessible hot water pipes to reduce heat loss.

Water Fixtures

• Installing ultra low-flow water fixtures throughout your home, in showers and sink faucets, can significantly reduce the amount of water that must be heated. Electric water heating costs could be reduced by as much as 35 percent.
• Minimize water use while brushing teeth, shaving and washing hands by turning water off when not needed.

Dishwasher

• Always run the dishwasher with a full load.
• Scrape dishes first instead of rinsing before loading them into the dishwasher to reduce the amount of energy needed to clean the dishes. If you must rinse, use cold water instead of hot.
• Turn off the "heat dry" feature. If there is an "air dry" option, use that instead. If not, after the final rinse, prop open the door an inch or two to release the moisture and air-dry dishes faster.
• If your dishwasher has a light or energy-saving wash cycle, use it for light loads or dishes that are only slightly soiled.

Clothes Washer

• Front-loaded washers use less energy than traditional top-loaded machines because they cut water usage by nearly 40 percent.
• Heating the water usually accounts for 90 percent of energy costs related to clothes washing, so use cold water in the rinse cycle as much as possible.
• Maximize energy efficiency when washing clothes by washing full loads rather than partial ones.
• Use cold water to wash whenever possible, as it will save the energy needed to heat the water. Look for detergents that work well in cold-water settings.

If it is time to invest in a new water heater, dishwasher or clothes washer, visit www.ComEd.com for tips on finding an efficient model.

Using water more efficiently to save energy is one of ComEd's 12 Ways to Green campaign, which aims to educate customers about ways to save money and reduce their carbon footprint. Launched last year, 12 Ways to Green is a component of Exelon 2020, a comprehensive environmental strategy to reduce, offset, or displace more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020 among ComEd's parent, Exelon, its subsidiaries, and customers.

Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), one of the nation's largest electric utilities with approximately 5.4 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across Northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population.

SOURCE ComEd

Source: PR Newswire

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