Check out five economical ways to save money on water heating. Find out what types of water heaters are the best to buy. This article will show how easily you can protect your water heater from losing the heat energy, increase the energy efficiency and save.
There are two popular types of water heaters you can buy: tankless and tank-type, where the former one is the most common type in North America.
The tank-type is the big cylinder that has hot water stored and available at any point in time. When water cools down, the gas burner or electric heating elements turn ON to heat water again. Most of the heat energy is lost through the heaters' walls, often called "standby heat loss" and through the vent system.
Tankless heat water only when it is needed so there is no "standby heat loss", and that is why the energy efficiency is higher. The only major loss is through the flue. Most of the manufacturers today build the heaters that can take advantage of the temperature of the exhaust gases for pre-heating. This technology is known as condensing.
Taking into account how tank-type and tankless water heaters work, here is what you can do to save money on water heating:
Also, if the distance between the fixture and the central water heater require long plumbing, consider installing a point-of-use heater, which will supply only that fixture. How about installing a solar, which will be supplemented with gas or electric?
From the electric-powered type, the best buy are heat pumps as their energy factor is over 2 and they are the only electric type that is Energy Star compliant.
The insulation blanket is recommended for tank-type heaters only, if there is a huge heat loss through the tank walls and if the R-value of its insulation foam is low. If the unit is already high efficient and has thick foam insulation, there is no need for the jacket.
Low-flow fixtures can be installed in the shower, so less water is wasted, and less energy goes through the drain. Mixing valves are great for providing an ideal water temperature and preventing hot water burns. Gas water heater timer is another element which helps you save money on water heating.
This is one of the easiest ways to save money on water heating - lower the temperature. Most of the water heaters are factory set to 120 F, not because the manufacturer wants you to save, but they want to prevent scalding burns, especially on seniors and kids. The recommended temperature of hot water, which can be comfortable for a shower and have the temperature high enough for dishes is around 130-140 F. You can save from 3 to 5% on water heating with every 10 F temperature reduction. Most of the thermostats have the mark on the dial showing the most optimal.
Since most of the storage tank heaters are installed in the cold garages or unheated rooms, it is important to insulate the pipes coming in and coming out of the heater and prevent the uncontrolled energy loss.
By changing the habits on how you use the hot water and conserve the energy, you can greatly impact the water heating energy savings. Here are some tips:
If using the single-lever tap and want to use cold tap water, keep in mind to push the lever to the cold side, not between or close to the hot side.
Also, during the hand-dishwashing, no need to run the hot or warm water when applying the soap. Keep it close and when you are done with cleaning, turn the warm or cold water for rinsing. If using the automatic dishwasher, run the full load, not partial. Also, no need to use hot water to prewash, cold or warm is good enough, as the machine will do the rest.
Save money on water heating by taking the shower instead baths. Less hot water is used when using the shower.