- Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period.
- Insulate your electric, gas, or oil hot-water storage pipes.
- Install non-aerating low-flow faucets and showerheads.
- Buy a new water heater. While it may cost more initially than a standard water heater, the energy savings will continue during the lifetime of the appliance.
- Although most water heaters last 10-15 years, it’s best to start shopping for a new one if yours is more than 7 years old. Doing some research before your heater fails will enable you to select one that most appropriately meets your needs.
- Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120 degrees F provides comfortable hot water for most uses.
- Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. The type of water tank you have determines the steps to take, so follow the manufacturer’s advice.
- If you heat with electricity and live in a warm and sunny climate, consider installing a solar water heater. The solar units are environmentally friendly and can now be installed on your roof to blend with the architecture of your house.
- Take more showers than baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in the average household. You use 15-25 gallons of hot water for a bath, but less than 10 gallons during a 5-minute shower.
New innovations in water heaters are happening every day, with a special focus on energy efficiency. New high efficiency water heaters meet the hot water demands in your home in a high-tech way that saves on energy costs.
Homes and businesses that don't often have the need for multiple locations needing hot water simultaneously do well with tankless water heaters. Highly efficient, these water heaters instantly heat water on demand.
Hybrid water heaters perform like tankless models, but can also handle high hot water demand periods. You get the best of both worlds - high efficiency and all the hot water you need, just when you need it.
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