This information is reprinted from a booklet called “100+ Ways To Improve Your Electric Bill.” These simple, low- or no-cost tips can assist you in making your energy decisions and in gaining greater control over your electric bill. By following these tips, you also will improve the comfort and convenience of your home. And you’ll help to protect the environment by using energy wisely. Compiled by the Edison Electric Institute 2008© Washington, D. C. www.eei.org
WATER HEATING
One of the biggest energy users in your home, next to heating and cooling systems, is your hot water system.
New federal efficiency standards for electric and gas water heaters took effect in January 2004. Make sure your new water heater meets or exceeds the new Energy Factor (EF) standard. (Examples: 0.90 EF for an electric 50-gallon unit, 0.59 EF for a gas 40-gallon unit.)
It is important to keep the system properly maintained. Once or twice a year, drain a bucket of water out of the bottom of the heater tank because it is sometimes full of sediment. The sediment insulates the water in the tank from the heating element, which wastes energy.
In addition, you might want to investi-gate a relatively inexpensive water heater insulation kit. Older hot water tanks (ex-cept super-insulated tanks) generally are not insulated very well, so an extra layer of protection will keep the heat from being lost through the walls of the tank. Be sure to read the instructions on the kit carefully. Do not insulate over any doors, vents, or relief valves.
When buying a water heater, it is wise to correctly estimate your needs. Don’t buy a water heater that is too large for your family, but you should consider your future needs as well as your present requirements.
Demands for hot water will be greater as the size of your household increases, as your children become older and begin to take showers or soak for hours in a full tub of water, and as certain new appliances (such as hot tubs or Jacuzzis) are added.
Some water heaters now have solid state controls (such as a “vacation” setting) that allow you to lower temperature settings. Look for and take advantage of these features.
In sprawling ranch houses or in resi-dences with two or three levels, the rooms requiring hot water may be widely separated. It may be possible to get better hot water service with less use of electric-ity by having two or more water heaters—one heater in each principal water-using area—instead of one heater in a
central location.
Repair leaky faucets promptly.
A steady drip of hot water can waste many gallons of water per month, plus the energy needed to heat the water.
Consult with a plumber to determine if your water heater meets the needs of your family.
Letting the water run while shaving or when washing dishes by hand is needless waste. Avoid this by using sink stoppers and dishpans.
Encourage family members to take showers rather than baths. The average person will use about half as much hot water in a shower as in a bath.
The standby heat loss of a water heater increases with temperature. So, set the temperature control of your water heater at a moderate 1200 F, or as low as possible without running out of hot water. If you need hotter water for certain functions, such as dishwashing, consider a dual-temperature system. Such sys-tems employ a central unit supplying 1200 F or lower temperature water for general purposes, plus a second, smaller water heater set for a higher temperature.
Locate water heaters as close to the points of hot water use as possible. The reason for this is that any hot water that remains in a supply pipe after a tap or valve is closed eventually cools off and is wasted. The longer the supply pipe, the more heat lost.
When long lengths of hot water supply pipe are unavoidable, insulate them to reduce losses. Hardware stores sell hot water pipe insulation kits.
For more information on water heating, check out the following Web sites: www.ahrinet.org and www.energystar.gov.
Energy You’ll Save: Lowering your water heater temperature setting from 1400 F to 1200 F can reduce your water heating energy bill by more than 10 percent.
Tags: conservation, electricity, Energy, water
