Your water heater accounts for between 14% to 20% of your household energy expense. In this article, I am going to show you some ways that you can cut down on the amount of energy you use in heating water.
Water Heater Settings, Insulation and Maintenance.
Set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees. That should provide a warm temperature for bathing. If you have a dishwasher, check the specifications for the minimum temperature that it requires. If you have an electric hot water heater, look into installing a timer that turns the heater off when you are sleeping or not likely to use water.
Insulate your storage tank and pipes. You can purchase insulation kits at your local hardware store. Avoid covering the thermostat. It's important to insulate your heater correctly. If you are not sure what to do or can't find a good "how to" guide, you should have a professional install it.
Clean the sediment out of your water heater. This can be done by draining a quart of water from the water tank once a month. The sediment impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater.
Hot Water Usage.
Install aerators in faucets and low-flow showerheads. Aerators deliver a strong spray, but control your water consumption by mixing air with the water.
Repair leaky faucets quickly. It's amazing how much water you can waste in a short period of time when you have a leaky faucet.
Take showers instead of baths. On average, a 5 minute shower uses half as much energy as taking a bath. A longer shower might use as much water as bathing, so use your judgement on what method is best for you.
The good news is using a dishwasher tends to be the most efficient way to wash your dishes. Be sure to run full loads and use energy saving settings if your dishwasher has them. If you have an old dishwasher you might consider upgrading. You can get a new, efficient dishwasher that uses 5 gallons or less per load while an older dishwasher could use twice that amount. There have been a lot of advancements in dishwasher capacity and efficiency; a new dishwasher uses half the water and electricity than one sold in from the early 1970's. If you wash dishes by hand, keep in mind that a running faucet uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute so try not to leave the water running as you wash.
Purchasing a Water Heater.
If you are in the market for a water heater you are going to want to buy a gas-fired heater if natural gas is available. It's more efficient than an electric water heater. If you don't have gas in your area, but live in a warm climate, you may want to look into solar water heaters.
The most efficient water heaters available are Demand (Tankless or Instantaneous) Water Heaters. Demand Water Heaters have been used in Japan and Europe for decades. They have been available in the US; but until recently, have not been very common. Demand Water heaters use less energy because they heat the water as you use it instead of keeping a tank full of water warm 24 hours a day. They are more expensive to purchase but last 25% to 30% longer.
For More Information on Demand (Tankless or Instantaneous) Water Heaters go the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network: http://www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/refbriefs/bc1.html
Buy the water heater that fits your household's needs. If you are buying a used water heater, be sure to research how much energy it uses. If you are buying new, read the labels and buy one that is going to cost less to operate. Keep in mind that you are going to use the water heater for 7 to 15 years; spending a little more initially can save you money in the long run.
I hope you will find some of this advice helpful. We rely on our water heaters and tend to forget about how hard they work for us. Take time to properly maintain yours and you will be rewarded when you get your energy bill.
About The Author: Fisher Swanson is a Contributing Editor at ThriftyFun.com. If you have comments about this article, send them to fisher@thriftyfun.com (Copyright (C) ThriftyFun.com 2000-2001)
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