Energy Efficiency Improvements

Save EnergyHave Malone Plumbing & Heating, Inc. design your plumbing system and the savings can be sizable.

A well designed plumbing system is capable of saving thousands of gallons of water every year. In many communities, saving water also saves energy because a lot of electricity is used to pump water from source to houses. With planning, the energy needed to make hot water can be significantly reduced.

Malone Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Best Practices

  • Design circulation loops with small-volume branch lines.
  • Buy a high-efficiency water heater with a low lifecycle cost. Size it correctly.
  • To reduce waste, use an on-demand circulation system that primes the host water line when hot water is needed. Avoid systems that circulate hot water continuously.
  • In a trunk and branch system, make branch lines no larger than 1/2-in. dia. and no more than 10ft. long.
  • Insulate hot water lines.
  • Reduce the number of restrictions in hot water supply lines, which decrease the effective length of the run. Lines that include sweeping turns rather than sharp 90-degree bends have less internal turbulence and better flow.
  • Installing PEX tubing instead of copper or PVC saves time and money during construction and reduces the potential for leaks.
  • Buy water-saving appliances and fixtures.
  • Set the water heater thermostat at 120° F.