Total Energy News and Insights

Unhappy with the amount of hot water in the shower? Ever been the last person in the morning to take a shower, only to find out that the three people before and the washing machine used up all the hot water?  Wonder why you've run out of water while you freeze during the shortest shower of your life?  It could depend on the size, age, and type of water heater you have. First we'll go over the types of water heaters; tankless, direct & indirect water heaters. Direct and indirect water heaters use a tank that stores and heats the water in the tank to be used later.  This requires the water to heated and reheated as the water temperature can be maintained for awhile before it drops too low. You might find a tank in your basement that is either near or possibly far from your boiler or furnace. A tank that is close and has piping that runs directly from the the heating system to the tank is a direct water heater.  This directly uses the heat from the ...

Last year's winter is still fresh in our minds, and this year wouldn't be better. We all remember how cold, long, and miserable last year's winter was.  With several weeks hovering near zero degrees with days of brutal winds and of course the normal amount of snow. With cold temperatures lasting into March and April it seemed that we would never see the warmth of Spring and Summer.  Now here we are in September with morning temps in the 50's and high's only reaching the mid 70's, reminding us that Winter is right around the corner. A lot about this Winter has focused on the possibility of an El Nino happening, reports have varied in the chance of it happening and the severity.  Most recent reports are saying that we're going to have 60-65% chance of a weak El Nino toward the end of 2014. What that means is that we're expecting to have a winter as cold and snowy or worse than last years winter. That means another winter of high energy bills, wh...

Always loved or wanted a fireplace but don't have a chimney? It's hard to think that the Summer is pretty much over, expect for a hopeful Indian summer.  With Summer coming to a close that means Fall is right around and then the freezing brutality of New England Winters.  For some of us those cold Fall and Winter nights or days mean cozying up to a warm fire in the fireplace or others you could just be wishing you had a fireplace, and then there's the ones that have a fireplace but just never use it. Fireplace owners know how nice and comfy a fire can be, however you also know how much work goes into owning a fireplace and keeping it running.  Cleaning the chimney, buying firewood, opening and closing the chimney to keep drafts out of the house.  That last one might not be that bad.  What if you could have the warmth and comfort of a traditional fireplace at the touch of a button? A Propane fireplace does just this, most models feature a rem...