CONSERVE WITHOUT REALLY TRYING

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No discussion of conservation is complete without a nod to the humble low-flow showerhead. Reduced water consumption — and the commensurate reduction in water heating costs — is astonishing on the national level, precisely because so many people take showers. If you already have a low-flow showerhead, give yourself a pat on the back. Then ask what else you can do to reduce the power we consume to heat our water. A simple insulating blanket on the water heater is old news, but you'd be surprised how many of us overlook this inexpensive precaution. The newest innovation in water heating has us tech-types dancing in the streets, even though it's not as generally applicable as our first two conservation picks.

It's called a heat exchanger, and works on the most basic thermodynamic principle. Left to its own devices, air or water temperature will equalize: heat moves from a hot medium to a cold medium until both reach equilibrium. What if you could capture the heat in the hot water that goes down your drain when you shower, and use that recovered waste-heat to pre-heat the water going into your water heater? Since the incoming water would be warmer to begin with, your water heater wouldn't have to work as hard — or consume as much fuel. Like most strokes of genius, the heat exchanger is eloquently simple, both in concept and implementation.

The GFX Waste Heat Recovery System, retailing for around $200, consists of a tight coil of copper tubing wrapped around a copper drain pipe. Hot shower-water careens down the drain pipe, transferring its heat to fresh cold water flowing through the coils and into your water heater. That's it. No moving parts, no power draw, no storage tank. This beauty could conceivably cut your water heating costs by 30% to 60%. If you have an electric water heater, you'll recoup your investment in a matter of months. One drawback with this system is that there has to be enough room under the floor to create the vertical drop that causes the hot water to cling to the walls of the drain pipe and effect heat transfer. Another is that it only works when the drain and supply lines are flowing simultaneously. Even with these limitations, the energy savings are staggering. The GFX could well be the greatest conservation product since the low-flow showerhead.

Finally, and you knew we'd get around to this sooner or later, insulate! We all know what insulation does, and how it reduces our heating and cooling bills. But be honest, have you ever actually looked in your attic, under your floors, or inside the walls to see what's there? Thought so. Most American homes are woefully under-insulated. In most of the U.S., exterior walls should have an R-value of 19. If you like the feel of fiberglass in your shirt, you can dive right in and insulate wall cavities yourself. If not, you'd be wise to hire a pro, who has all the spiffy tools needed to reach around corners and between walls.

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