For most families, water heater disposal is only something to think about once or twice a lifetime. Maybe you’re upgrading. Maybe the heater you have isn’t energy efficient. Either way, water heaters are big, bulky and hard to dispose of. However, if you understand your options, you’ll find there are several simple, (even profitable), ways to dispose of your water heater.

Expert Disposal

In every case, you should first check your state laws to make sure you’re planning to dispose of your unit safely. Some states charge a fee and dispose of all water heaters themselves. 

Secondly, many plumbers offer free water heater removal if they installed your unit. They will haul it away and get it recycled; or repair it for resale.

However, if you installed your own water heater or it came with your home, you’ll have to consider other options. 

“Need Gone”

You’ve likely seen these words all over Craigslist and maybe your local newspaper. When you just want the thing out of your house, there are many quick, easy options.

• Give it to charity – Most charities will come pick up a working water heater. If it isn’t working, they might want it for scrap; they might not.
• Keep an eye out for recycling events in your area that offer free pickup of junk for recycling as well.
• Take it to a landfill/junkyard. – Drop it off yourself and pay a fee.
• Call a garbage service. – Enjoy curbside pick-up. Pay a fee. The service will also make money off your unit by recycling it. The service might also ask you to drain the tank before pickup.
• Call a junk remover – Get rid of your water heater and other junk at the same time. Junk removers also donate or recycle as much as they can.

Soften the Blow

If you’re planning to buy a new water heater, you know you’re in for a pretty steep bill. Why not make money when you dispose of your old water heater by recycling the unit? You’ll make the most money if you dismantle the unit and recycle the individual pieces yourself. Here you have options as well.

• Take it to your local recycler – Drop it off yourself. The recycling center will typically pay you a nominal fee. They will dismantle the unit and sell the scrap metal to other vendors. What can’t be scrapped, they’ll try to recycle or reuse. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to find a recycler who will pick up. However, this is rare.
• Dismantle it and recycle it yourself. – Do a magnet test on your unit to see how much valuable metal it contains. If the magnet sticks, your unit likely has more iron. If it doesn’t, your unit features valuable metals copper or brass.

Dismantling your own water heater can get involved. However, the financial rewards are great. Recyclers pay big money for copper these days. Experts predict the market will only continue to grow. 

In addition to copper, most tanks also contain brass and steel. The regulators in gas units make them more valuable than electric units. Working regulators command significant scrap value. Corroded brass fittings and heavy gauge copper wiring is also valuable. 

The post Should You Recycle or Simply Get Rid of Your Old Water Heater? appeared first on Energy Consulting Services.

guest blog courtesy of LEDwatcher.com

If you’re a business owner and looking to get one over the competition AND save the environment at the same time, then going green with solar energy could be a really smart move. Here are the ways solar power can make your business more environmentally and economically sustainable:

Fewer greenhouse gas emissions

The precondition of a successful business is a successful earth! Don’t contribute to unsustainable global warming by sourcing your electricity from dirty, increasingly scarce fossil fuels. Solar energy is a completely clean and renewable energy source with NO greenhouse gas emissions whatsoever. So go solar and your business will quickly become much more sustainable.

Lower electricity bills & strong return on investment

Believe it or not, going solar can also benefit the bottom line of your business! Energy prices continue to increase and are forecasted to keep doing so as fossil fuels become more and more expensive. Switching to renewable energy now could allow you to trim hundreds annually from your energy bills, and increase your business’ profitability. Although the initial upfront cost of installing solar panels may seem exorbitant, they will more than pay their way over time when you factor in the savings on utility bills, maintenance and repairs, money lost from power outages etc. Depending on where you live, you may also be able to take advantage of government rebates and tax incentives encouraging the take up of alternative energy, and installation discounts offered by the company you go with.

Improve your reputation

Going green sends a message to your customers, clients and the community that you are a socially responsible capitalist with an investment in the lives of those around him, and not just someone who is out for himself. Adopting solar energy, even if it is in the form of lamps that convert sun energy into lighting, could be a public relations dream for your business. It might be just the thing that persuades a potential customer or client choose your business over your competitors.

Create jobs in your community

By investing in renewable energy you are creating a demand for that power source, encouraging the creation of jobs in that industry. The more people with good paying jobs, the more potential customers for your business.

More stable power supply/Less service disruption

As fossil fuels become increasingly scarce and the prospect of price spikes, power outages, resource wars, oil embargoes and the like looms on the horizon, you don’t want to be caught up in the crossfires of an unstable energy supply. Although solar has its own problems with intermittency, it could still be the more stable option compared to fossil fuels. Having your own electricity supply gives you independence and means your business operations won’t be constantly disrupted by external factors not under your control. This in turn gives you a boost over the competition who haven’t yet made the switch.

Become a leader in your industry

Again taking the initiative to go green while it’s still a relative novelty promotes your image as a leader or trailblazer in your industry. This decision could really differentiate you from the pack, making you seem progressive and forward thinking. You will attract more clients and customers, and when competitors also make the switch they will remember that you got in first – they will continue to turn to your fro guidance and inspiration in other areas.

Makes your building easier to sell or rent out

Once prospective tenants or buyers see that you use solar energy, they may be more inclined to buy or rent from you.

Solar energy has the potential to improve your business AND save the planet. Although it may seem like a hassle switching over, in the long run the benefits will far outweigh the costs. Solar is far cleaner more eco-friendly energy option than fossil fuels. And by showing customers, clients, prospective buyers and tenants that you care about their quality of life and not just your own hip pocket, they will be more inclined to do business with you.

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 Heat pumps and gas furnaces are the only home heating options we have, but many homeowners still find it hard to decide between the two. The difficulty in making a choice is understandable because both are excellent ways of heating up your home during the colder months. In any case, your decision should be based on several factors, particularly the climate in the part of the country where you live.

If you live in Georgia, you are familiar with the mild winters and hot summers that mark the humid subtropical climate in the state. So which heating option would be best for your home then? Let’s take a closer look at what heat pumps and gas furnaces offer to help you make an informed decision.

Gas furnaces

In North America, the forced-air gas furnace is the most common heating system. It is, after all, efficient, reliable and quiet, thanks to the many improvements to its design over the years. Much to our chagrin as environmentalists, a big upside to gas furnace is that the widespread hydraulic fracturing in our country has brought the price of gas down to as low as $.52/therm which makes gas heat very inexpensive.

The forced-air gas furnace involves a standard combustion process to generate heat which is then circulated throughout your house to keep everybody warm. Gas furnaces are quite effective at heating your home even during the coldest months of winter, and that makes them perfect for areas that experience below freezing temperatures. They also tend to be cheaper than heat pumps by $500 to $1,000. They are also very durable, as they can last for up to 25 years with proper maintenance. Gas furnaces are also energy efficient, with an AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating of up to 97%.

A gas furnace, however, is not without disadvantages or even risks. Since it burns natural gas, a gas furnace produces deadly exhaust gases like carbon monoxide. Gas leaks may also happen, which can cause an explosion and fire.

Heat pumps

Unlike gas furnaces, heat pumps do not generate heat. What it does is transfer heat from one point to another. When you buy a heat pump, you are buying an air conditioner too because it also functions as one. In the summer, your heat pump moves heat from inside your home and does this very efficiently in the hot Georgia summers. When winter comes, the process is reversed and heat pumps transfer warm air from the outside into your home.

The best part about heat pumps is that they burn no fossil fuels, which means they are better for the environment than gas furnaces. There’s also none of the poisoning and fire risks associated with furnaces powered by gas. As for energy efficiency, heat pumps are also more energy efficient than gas furnaces, although efficiency is a relative term here. Electricity, after all, tends to be more expensive than the natural gas or propane that gas furnaces use.

Heat pumps work best in places where the winters are mild. In below freezing temperatures, heat pumps are next to useless. Since it transfers heat from the outside during winter, a heat pump will have a tough time drawing in warm air since there is no warm air to speak of in sub-zero temperatures.

While there are several other factors that can help you choose a heating system, the one factor you have to consider when you live in Georgia is its humid subtropical climate. For north Georgia residents, the best heating option is a duel fuel heat pump. A duel fuel system has the benefit of the high efficiency heat pump but will back up on gas when it gets too cold outside to generate heat. In central and south Georgia, a heat pump with backup electric heat works well since it rarely drops below freezing.

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