Top 5 Ways to Heat Water Efficiently
Give your hot water heater - and your wallet - a break by doing a few things to stop wasting hot water. Get this: roughly 20 percent of our home energy use goes towards heating water. There are inexpensive ways to start saving energy and water and a few methods that might be worth a bigger investment. All will help you Do Your Part to conserve resources and save money. Here are my Top 5 ways to heat water efficiently.
1) Water Heater Blanket
This is one of the most inexpensive ways to make your conventional hot water heater run more efficiently. A hot water heater blanket will cost you around $20. It is super easy to put on and it helps keep the water inside the tank warm, which means the water heater won’t have to work as hard.
2) Wrap Those Pipes
This is another easy solution for getting more from your water heater. At every home improvement store, you can find easy-to-install insulation kits for your water pipes. Slip the insulation on and presto - the water in the pipes stays hot longer so you waste less water.
3) Turn Down The Thermostat
You can also save money on your power bill each month simply by lowering the thermostat setting on your hot water heater. For every 10 degrees lower, you’ll save up to 5 percent in energy costs. A setting of 120F degrees is plenty warm enough for use at home.
4) Hot Water Recirculator
I swear by the hot water recirculator in my home. There are a number of models to choose from but I recommend one with a timer that you set to turn on during those peak hot water usage times. A hot water recirculator does just that...keeps hot water flowing continuously through your pipes so it’s ready to use when you are. This is a great solution for you if you have to wait more than 20 seconds for hot water at the tap. For the average household it adds up to a savings of nearly 20,000 gallons and almost $200 a year.
5) Hybrid or Tankless Water Heaters
This is a bigger investment but one that will certainly pay for itself in a few years. A hybrid water heater will save you several hundred dollars on your utility bills each year and they are up to twice as energy efficient as traditional water heaters. They work by actually absorbing heat from the air and using that heat to warm your water. A tankless model heats the water instantly and only when you need it, thereby reducing the amount of energy you use. When it’s time to replace your old water heater, be sure to learn about these new options.
Changing the way you heat the water in your home can have a big impact on the planet and your utility bills - especially in the winter. Do Your Part and make heating the water in your home as efficient as possible.
Terri Bennett is a veteran TV meteorologist, eco-expert and author of Do Your Part: A practical guide for everyday green living available at DoYourPart.com. Send questions to terri@doyourpart.com
