Save Money and Reduce Carbon Footprint with Simple Hot Water Habits
Households can significantly reduce their carbon footprint and save money by adopting simple hot water usage habits and installing energy-efficient devices. These changes can also help prevent legionella growth, a bacteria that can cause severe illness.
To start, using hot water only when necessary can lower consumption and costs. Running the tap until the water is cool before drinking ensures fresh water without wasting hot water.
Regular maintenance is key. Descaling faucets and showerheads increases their lifespan and efficiency. Additionally, insulating hot and cold water pipes prevents legionella growth and reduces energy loss. Installing water-saving faucets and showerheads with a flow rate of 6 to 9 liters per minute can also significantly cut down on water and energy usage.
German households also employ various strategies to reduce hot water costs. These include setting room temperature and heating curves correctly, proper ventilation, and using technical measures like hydraulic balancing and pipe insulation. Switching to renewable heating systems like heat pumps combined with solar thermal systems for preheating water, and using warm water heat pumps that extract energy from ambient air, can further optimize energy use. Storage solutions like buffer tanks and combined 'tank-in-tank' systems help separate space heating from water heating.
Tools like WasserCheck and Warmwasserspiegel can help identify savings opportunities by comparing hot water consumption with others.
By implementing these strategies, households can save a substantial amount of CO2, contributing to climate protection. Regularly flushing little-used piping sections and maintaining hot water at a temperature of at least 60°C also helps prevent legionella growth, ensuring a safe and sustainable living environment.
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