There are a few things you can do as a business owner to reduce energy intake for hot water usage. You can take advantage of heat that is free of charge. Businesses that utilize refrigeration equipment and air conditioning may save costs by recovering the waste heat from their cooling equipment. Heat recovery water heaters use this type of waste heat as a means to heat water. A suggestion for reducing your energy bill is to consider a solar hot water heater. A conventional hot water heater is responsible for about 12 percent of your monthly energy bill. Reduce the amount of hot water you consume by installing faucet aerators and/or shutoff valves. Faucet aerators can reduce the amount of water flow by up to 50 percent, while typically delivering sufficient hot water for your needs. Nozzle shutoff valves leave the cold water/hot water mix intact, a condition normally attained by running the water continuously. Changing to a high-efficiency water heater is a smart choice, as well. The most energy-efficient water heater is a heat pump water heater (HPWH) that extracts heat from warm, humid air and delivers it to a water storage tank. With this process, you not only dehumidify the air, but you also use the heated water for your operational needs. Minimizing the amount of energy lost in your hot water system by lowering the temperature of your hot water can substantially reduce the amount of energy needed to heat it. A 10 degree reduction in water temperature can result in a 3 to 5 percent reduction in energy usage.
Hartford’s Development Program:
The Economic Development Division is working to create opportunities in Hartford that are conducive to growing and attracting businesses. Extensive support is provided to current and prospective businesses of all sizes as an initiative to do business in Hartford. Technical assistance is available to neighborhood businesses and entrepreneurs interested in starting a new business.
