Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. It typically accounts for about 12% of your utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or buy a new, more efficient model.
Water Heating Tips
– Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads. If you haven’t done so already, this is the quickest easiest thing you can do to save water, energy, and money.
– Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120°F provides comfortable hot water for most uses.
– Insulate your hot-water storage tank. Electric and gas water heaters have different precautions for insulating so make sure you follow the manufacturerâ?Ts directions.
– Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.
– When buying a new water heater, install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat loss.
– Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. The type of water tank you have determines the steps to take, so follow the manufacturer’s advice.