When it comes to green living and making your home more eco friendly, there are many things you can do - one of which is choosing an eco friendly water heater.

When it comes to your hot water, many of us not only waste energy by the way the water is heated, but we also run water down the drain and waste it while we are waiting for it to turn hot.

This is such a waste of water! Just like leaving the tap running while you are brushing your teeth, you are wasting water needlessly. The only difference is, you need to waste this water while the water warms up. Or do you?

There are alternative systems that can help you to avoid wasting water, and this hub will explore these as well as solar water heating options. And the good news is that you don't need to skimp on convenience to be eco friendly with your water!

If you choose to get an eco friendly water heater that can provide you with hot water as soon as you turn the tap on, you'll be helping to save the environment for two main reasons:

1. You won't be wasting water down the drain,
2. This water won't waste energy by needing to be filtered, purified, processed etc.

This can even help to save you money, after the initial cost of changing your water system.

Traditional hot water heating systems do not give us instant hot water, they take a while after the tap is turned on to actually send hot water.

There are now more modern systems that can provide you with hot water instantly, known as 'hot water demand'. Water is pumped quickly to your tap, so you don't need to waste as much water.

If this could be the option for you, check online for average costs and installation options.

If you want to get an even more eco friendly water heater then why not use the energy of the sun to heat your water, instead of electricity?

Solar water heaters do just this, and are readily available from a number of vendors. However, this is a large initial investment, though it will help you to save money in the long run. If you want to save on this initial cost then you do have the option to build the heater yourself.

When it comes to the DIY option, you're going to need strong materials for the box where the water will be heated, and this will be covered with glass panels to get the solar power. You will basically need to ensure that copper wires can heat the water up. For more information, check out the numerous online resources.

So there are just two different ideas for a more eco friendly water heater. You don't have to change everything in your home to become more green, but by just making simple changes you can help the environment and save money in the long run!