Here’s How You Can Save Money On Your Water Heating

Imagine taking a nice, long, hot shower; then encountering a hefty heating bill thereafter. You probably regret spending so much time under the shower now…

Water heating constitutes a major part of your heating bill. If you’ve consistently been paying huge sums, it could be because of water heating.

According to Energy.gov, water heating accounts for almost 18% of your utility bill. Tweaking your water heater and adopting other strategies to reduce your energy usage can lower bills.

If you want to make substantial savings on the bill, here’s what you should do:

1.     Lower the thermostat

Take a trip down to the basement to check what temperature the water heater is set on. Manufacturer’s settings usually are at 140°F. You may want to lower it to 120°F or 100°F to conserve energy.

You can reduce the bill to almost 3%-5% for every 10 degrees you reduce. This will also help minimize the risk of burns owing to scalding hot water.

2.     Adopt low-flow options

We understand that you don’t want to spend on a bathroom update, but some updates can ultimately save you money. Replacing old plumbing fixtures is one of those updates.

Older models of showerheads and faucets expel too much water. In contrast, modern low-flow models save you almost half as much water the older faucets and showerheads. Reduce the water consumption in shower and other forms of usage.

3.     Drain the sediments

Sediments build up in your water heater over time. To clear them out, you need to drain the heater. Most manufacturers recommend draining the tank at least once every six months. Doing this quarterly is even better.

Not performing this maintenance task will result in less hot water, more utility bills and less water heater life. It takes only 15 minutes; why take the risk!

4.     Insulate pipes and water heater

Heated water gets cold with time. Your heater has to reheat it again. So, if you can slow down the cooling, your heater will use less energy on heating.

One way to do this is by insulating the heater. This way, it will not lose the heat quickly. Some heaters are already insulated, so check the R-rating. If it’s below R-24, you should get it insulated.

Also, insulate three feet of water pipe which comes out of the heater. For gas water heaters, keep the insulation six or more inches away from the flue.

5.     Get an electric water heater

Switch to an energy saver electric water heater installation to consume less energy. Tanked electric water heaters ensure you have hot water available at all times and consume less energy.

However, note that energy costs for electricity is more that what you pay for gas. Overall, electric heaters use less energy, so the bill might eventually cost the same. But if you’re looking out for a new heater, we recommend getting an electric one as it costs much less to install.

Call our plumbing service for new faucet installation and water heater replacement in Germantown.