Month: May 2025

Exploring Eco-Friendly Water Heaters for Sacramento Homes

May 12, 2025

Exploring Eco-Friendly Water Heaters for Sacramento Homes

Although you may not realize it, water heating is an average home’s second-biggest energy use category. Only your home’s HVAC uses more energy than its water heater. That means heating water for use in your home is a major contributor to your carbon footprint. The good news is that there are several eco-friendly water heater options to help decrease your negative impact on the environment while ensuring convenient and affordable access to hot water whenever you need it.

Heat Pump Water Heaters

If you currently own a storage tank water heater and want an eco-friendly alternative with a similar footprint, consider a heat pump water heater. They look and work much like a conventional electric storage tank heater but are a bit larger. The extra space houses some additional components that supercharge the heater’s efficiency rating. The components harvest heat energy from the air surrounding the unit. That extra heat energy helps heat water in the tank, reducing the load on the system’s electric heating element.

According to the Department of Energy, heat pump water heaters can be two to three times as efficient as conventional electric heaters. You can ensure maximum savings if you purchase an ENERGY STAR-certified model. These units boast average lifetime energy cost savings of $3,830 for a medium-sized household. Plus, they work very well in climates like ours in Sacramento. It ensures the heat pump has ample heat energy available for collection year-round.

Tankless Water Heaters

If you don’t mind switching away from a storage-tank water heater, a tankless model makes an excellent eco-friendly upgrade. They use high-power heating elements to produce hot water on demand. This comes with a more significant advantage in efficiency than you may realize. This is because storage tank heaters have an inherent efficiency flaw in their designs. They store hot water for future use, which results in inevitable heat loss while on standby. Even modern, well-insulated storage tanks suffer from this problem. As a result, a storage tank heater must, sometimes, reheat its stored water to maintain a specific set temperature.

A tankless water heater avoids those losses, leading to more efficient operation. If you have a low hot water usage home, a tankless heater could cut your hot water-related energy use by 34%. High-use homes can also reduce their energy use by up to 14% relative to a storage tank. Plus, tankless water heaters can supply an endless stream of hot water. They activate on demand and keep working until demand ceases. If you love taking long, hot showers, you’ll love a tankless water heater.

One downside to a tankless water heater is that the largest models operate on natural gas. So, if you want one that can serve your whole home, an electric model isn’t likely an option. However, if your home is naturally gas-free, you can use multiple electric tankless heaters instead. Unfortunately, you’d trade away much of your potential efficiency gains in the process. The upfront cost of a tankless model is higher than a tank-based model, but the long-term savings are usually worth the cost.

Solar Water Heaters

If you want the ultimate in eco-friendly water heating, you could opt for a solar water heater. As their name implies, they use solar energy to provide your home with hot water. This can translate into energy savings as high as 80% relative to other water heater types. There are two primary varieties of solar water heaters you can choose from.

Active Solar Water Heater

There are two types of active solar water heaters available. The first is a direct circulation system. They use a pump to circulate water through a solar collection plate and a storage tank. This ensures a tank full of hot water that’s always ready for use. Direct circulation systems work best in warm climates that rarely drop below freezing. That makes them ideal for Sacramento homes.

The other type of active solar water heater is an indirect circulation system. They use a specialized heat transfer fluid that collects solar heat. The fluid circulates in a closed loop and transfers heat to water in the system’s storage tank by way of a heat exchanger. They’re slightly less efficient than direct circulation models. However, they have the advantage of working at all temperatures.

Passive Solar Water Heater

Passive solar water heaters use gravity and the pressure of your incoming water supply to work. As a result, they don’t use any electricity or other fuel whatsoever. The typical passive solar water heater system has the same components as an active one, except for a pump. In its place, passive systems locate their storage tanks horizontally above their solar collection components.

The position of the storage tank is the secret to how passive solar water heaters work. They rely on the natural stratification that takes place when you mix hot and cold fluids. The horizontal storage tank has a water outlet near its top and an inlet near its bottom. The solar collection components connect to the lower part of the tank. As a result, colder water naturally flows toward the collection components. As the water heats, it rises until reaching the storage tank’s top.

When you call for hot water, the outlet draws water from the tank’s top. That creates room in the system for more incoming cold water. The result is a pump-free water loop that produces hot water as needed.

Geothermal Water Heating

Finally, if you’re looking for an eco-friendly HVAC and hot water solution, you can install a geothermal system. This ensures the most efficient HVAC possible and can lower your hot water-related energy use. The savings come from the addition of a device called a desuperheater to your geothermal system. It captures waste heat from your geothermal HVAC system and uses it to augment hot water production.

A geothermal desuperheater can eliminate direct water heating energy use in the summer. It uses heat energy extracted from your home’s air to heat water in a storage tank. Otherwise, that heat energy would get deposited into the ground through the geothermal system’s ground loop. In the winter, the desuperheater uses leftover heat from the HVAC heating function to augment hot water production. While it is less efficient than in the summer, a desuperheater still reduces hot water energy needs during cold months.

Eco-Friendly Water Heating Experts

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly water heating solution in Sacramento, CA, Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air can help. Our family-owned and operated business has served residents for over 40 years. We sell and install efficient storage tank-based and tankless water heaters. You can also rely on us for plumbing repairs and installation as well as water treatment services.

Our plumbers have industry-leading training and years of practical experience. And you can count on us to provide upfront, no-surprise pricing. If you want an eco-friendly water heating solution in Sacramento, call Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air today!

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How Smart Thermostats Deliver Superior Performance

May 03, 2025

How Smart Thermostats Deliver Superior Performance

Thermostats are a critical part of HVAC systems, and modern programmable and smart thermostats are becoming increasingly popular. If you haven’t jumped on the smart thermostat trend, you might wonder what the big deal is. The simple answer is superior performance. If you are not a smart thermostat owner and want to know how the newest technology could enhance your HVAC, here is a closer look.

Efficiency Improvements

For most homeowners, the biggest selling point of a thermostat upgrade to a smart model is their ability to improve HVAC efficiency. Smart thermostats have a host of features that can help you save money. Many models can save you 10%-15% annually on your HVAC bills. Smart thermostats can typically pay for themselves in about 12 to 18 months.

Programmability is central to efficiency improvements. Homeowners can set their smart thermostats to operate as efficiently as possible. For example, you might not be home most of a typical weekday because you’re at work. Consequently, there isn’t much value in cooling your house aggressively at noon. For example, you can program the thermostat to back off cooling from 9 a.m. until you return at 5:30 p.m.

High-end smart thermostats go further. The best models have AI-based pattern recognition. As you make adjustments to conditions in your home, the thermostat records the data and adapts. It quickly learns when you like to have the heating or cooling up, leading it to make the adjustments for you automatically. For example, you might turn the thermostat down at night because you sleep better in a cool bedroom. The thermostat will learn your patterns and start making adjustments without your intervention.

Some models also leverage occupancy sensors. If you have friends or family members over for dinner on a warm summer night, the sensors will tell the thermostat there are more people present. It can then apply more cooling automatically to compensate for the number of occupants.

Load management is another great benefit. If your utility company offers demand-based rates, your smart thermostat can communicate with their servers. You can then set the smart thermostat to operate more aggressively when rates are lowest and more conservatively when rates are higher. Not only does your smart thermostat help you save money, but it allows you to better contribute to grid efficiency and stability.

Zoned HVAC

One of the top ways to get the most value out of a smart thermostat is to incorporate it into a larger zoned HVAC setup. A zoned HVAC has controls that allow the system to distribute targeted heating and cooling to designated spaces. For example, many homeowners set a zone for the sun-exposed side of their house to keep it from heating up too much in the summer. You also can create zones for individual rooms. You might configure a zone for your kitchen so that the HVAC provides more cooling when you’re cooking a lot.

Zoned HVACs and smart thermostats make it easier to accommodate multiple household members, too. You can set up a zone for someone who needs tight conditions due to a respiratory condition. They can set climate control in their bedroom without changing anything for other rooms. This is also a great way to make underutilized rooms more efficient. A common zone scheme is to set a guest bedroom to have limited heating and cooling, except when you have a guest. People often configure zones for craft rooms, workshops, home theaters, finished basements and attached garages.

HVAC Longevity and Maintenance

Tracking system performance makes it easier to extend the lifespan of your HVAC through regular maintenance. Smart thermostats track data like system run times and total cycles. This information is useful in determining when your HVAC needs regular maintenance. Especially if your HVAC has run hard during a heat wave, our smart thermostat can inform you that the system is due for early maintenance.

Smart thermostats can log maintenance calendars, too. The best models will even send you notifications that maintenance is coming so that you can schedule an HVAC appointment.

Likewise, a smart thermostat can detect signs that system components are starting to fail. For example, short cycling may indicate that the compressor is getting overworked and triggering an automatic shutdown. A smart thermostat can note that this has happened several times and then tell you there might be an issue. About 70% of HVAC failures have early symptoms, a smart thermostat gives you another set of eyes on the problem. Even a reminder about a filter replacement can go a long way toward extending an HVAC’s lifespan.

Efficient operation using a smart thermostat tends to extend system longevity, too. Smart thermostats can control heating and cooling cycles to prevent overworking your HVAC. They can employ low-power or fan-only modes that reduce wear and tear on key components.

Many models also have humidistats or similar sensors allowing them to detect moisture levels. Wet air has a higher mass for heating and cooling. Consequently, it costs you more to heat or cool a cubic foot of wet air by one degree than it does dry air.

Indoor Air Quality

Smart thermostats can connect indoor air quality (IAQ) systems to sensors for comprehensive coverage. Foremost, this means you will get better data about the IAQ in your home. Secondly, eliminating dust, pollen, dander and other particulate matter can improve system efficiency and longevity. Clean systems struggle less because their air filters offer smoother airflow. Likewise, improved IAQ keeps components like burners and coils cleaner for longer, meaning your HVAC stains less to exchange energy internally and externally.

Some systems also include carbon dioxide monitors (CO2). Your home’s CO2 level is a good proxy for its fresh air intake. The CO2 level rises as people breathe, and the sensors can detect this increase. If the CO2 level gets too high, the smart thermostat can trigger an intake and ventilation cycle to improve IAQ.

Integration

Today’s smart thermostats generally offer great integration with other systems. The vast majority include smartphone apps that allow you to securely and directly control your system. Many of these also integrate with home entertainment and security systems so that you can control everything from the comfort of your bedroom or living room.

Integration also makes the system very convenient when you’re not home. If you go on vacation and want to have a family member check on your home, you can set the HVAC to provide a comfortable environment while they’re present. You can even grant them guest access if they need to be around for a bit.

Many high-end systems include integration with weather data. If your smart thermostat learns that a rainstorm is due soon, it can boost dehumidification to counter the expected effects. This functionality also allows the HVAC to make seasonal and daily adjustments. Combined with AI-based capabilities, this functionality makes a smart thermostat impressively proactive.

A smart thermostat is a great addition to any Sacramento, CA, home or business. At Crystal Blue Plumbing, Heating & Air, we offer complete residential and commercial HVAC repair, maintenance, and installation services as well as air quality options. Call us today to schedule your appointment.