If you’re looking for ways to conserve energy and dollars around the house, water heating savings is a good place to start. Improving the performance of your storage tank water heater won’t cost a lot, and because water heating costs account for the second largest energy cost in the typical home, making small changes here will bring big results.
- Every time you turn on a hot-water faucet, your water heater consumes energy to reheat replacement water in the tank. Most older faucets and shower-heads allow for strong water flows. New, energy-efficient, low-flow showerheads and faucets emit less hot water, without affecting your comfort levels. This leads to water heating savings.
- Keep your eye out for pipe leaks, especially in the hot water pipes. This can be an energy sieve, with the water heater working constantly to replace that lost hot water. When you notice leaking water, fix it immediately.
- Check the temperature on your water heater. Most manufacturers preset their systems to 140 degrees, but you can safely lower the temperature to 120 degrees and achieve water heating savings – while still having sufficiently hot water for your household needs.
- Use insulation around the tank. If your system is older, it likely loses heat through its tank wall; new systems incorporate insulation to curb these losses. You can purchase an insulating jacket or blanket, but take care to follow manufacturer instructions.
- You may also insulate the first 6 feet of pipe that supply the water heater with cold water, along with the piping that ushers hot water out of the system. Water heaters are often installed in cold basements, which means hot water will lose some of its energy as it travels through cold pipes. Meanwhile, pipe insulation will prevent very cold water from entering the water heater when the tank’s water level drops.
Work with Mowery Heating, Cooling & Plumbing to increase your water heating savings, or for help upgrading to a new, high-efficiency water heater. We’ve proudly served homeowners in greater Indianapolis since 1970.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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