Water-heating costs can really add up over time and cost you piles of money. Luckily, a few simple tips can greatly reduce water-heating costs, freeing your pocketbook up for other expenses:
Reduce water use. Two important ways to do reduce hot water use include fixing leaks and installing low-flow fixtures. A leaky fixture that drips once per second will cost you up to a dollar per month. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends installing fixtures that use less than 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Some older shower heads (especially pre-1992) flow more than twice as quickly as the national standard of 2.5 gallons per minute. It’s also helpful to do your part and use less hot water when possible. It can be tempting to take long, hot showers during a cold Connecticut winter, but shorter showers can significantly reduce your water-heating costs.
Perform regular water heater maintenance to reduce your water-heating costs and extend the life of your water heater. A professional can service your water heater for you, or you can do most of it yourself. One easy and important step is to make sure your water heater isn’t set to higher than 120 degrees. You can also partially drain your water heater tank into a bucket from time to time to check for rusty or cloudy water, which indicates a mineral buildup that a professional might need to fix.
Only purchase energy efficient water heaters, clothes washers, and dishwashers. Many old appliances use much more energy and hot water than new ones, though it’s important to look for the most efficient appliances among a selection of new models. If your old appliances are really inefficient, it might be worth it in energy savings to upgrade them even before they completely wear out. Use the Energy Star program to help you choose efficient appliances.
For help servicing your water heater, choosing and installing an energy-efficient water heater and reducing your hot water use in your Connecticut home, contact the helpful experts 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.