Energy costs remain high every year, leaving homeowners always on the lookout for ways to reduce their energy usage. One of the major energy consumers in any home is the water heater. Fortunately, there are several effective and simple things you can do to cut your water-heating costs.
Adjust the Temperature
One of the first things you should do to save money on your water heater is to check the temperature you have the thermostat set to. If it is above 130 degrees, you can safely reduce it. 130 degrees is the minimum temperature required to kill any microorganisms in the water, such as Legionnaires disease. For most home uses, however, 120 degrees is fine.
Low-Flow Fixtures
If you have fixtures made before 1992, you can probably replace them and cut your water usage in half. Many older homes have fixtures that allow water to pour out at an unnecessarily high rate. Since shower heads and faucets can be used effectively when the water flow is much less, one great way to reduce your water-heating costs is to install low-flow faucets and shower heads.
Leaks
Keep an eye out for leaks in your faucets, shower heads and the connections to your washing machine. Even if you have low-flow fixtures, they do you little good if they’re leaking. A small drip can quickly add up to a huge expense at the end of the month.
Appliances
Your dishwasher and washing machine are two other good places to consider when you want to save on water-heating costs. When you purchase a dishwasher, choose one that has a built-in booster to raise the temperature to 140 degrees. This is the minimum temperature needed to properly clean your dishes. This allows you to reduce the water-heater temperature to 120 degrees. In addition, since modern detergents can clean clothes even in cold water, there is no reason to use hot water in your clothes-washing machine.
If you live in the Hartford area and want further tips or advice on how to reduce your water-heating costs, please feel free to contact us at Glasco Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about water-heating costs and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
Glasco Heating & Air Conditioning services South Windsor, Connecticut and the surrounding areas.