RALEIGH -- Heating the water in your home takes a lot of energy, whether you use a gas or electric water heater. A new way to get warm water in your house is not only more energy efficient, it could save you money.

Barry Cleveland and his wife are building the home of their dreams, with lots of sunlight coming in all the windows.

“We're totally wanting to be as energy efficient as we can be,” said Cleveland.

All the sunlight is helping them heat their water more efficiently due to the fact that they have installed a solar hot water heater.

"You spend a lot of energy making water hot. The sun is already hot. What your doing is sending another solution through here that collects that heat from the sun and transfers that to the water in the tank,” said Justin Stiles with Southern Energy Management.

Using the sun to heat the water in your home not only saves energy but could help you save on your monthly gas and electric bills. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, on average, if you install a solar water heater your water heating bills should drop between 50-80 percent.

While the initial cost for such a system may be more, the savings over time could be worth it.