Everyone wants to save money on their utility bills. Finding simple ways to reduce the cost of your water heater bill is a great place to start since it’s the second largest energy-consuming system (behind your Heating and Cooling system), in your home. Check out these tips for energy savings to save money on your water heater bill.
Take Showers Instead Of Baths
Filling up a bathtub takes dozens, or possibly even hundreds of gallons of hot water produced by your system, which means your tank will almost certainly need to be completely refilled. This takes not only time, but a tremendous amount of energy. Taking baths regularly is going to increase your energy costs substantially when it comes to your water heater, so consider doing away with baths and simply taking showers instead.
A quick shower with a water-efficient, low-flow showerhead uses a substantially smaller amount of water to keep costs lower, plus showers give you the ability to turn the water off while you’re shampooing your hair or shaving in order to further the savings even more.
Use Cold or Warm Water Whenever Possible
Doing the dishes with scalding hot water may be more sanitary, but it’s kind of redundant when you’re simply going to throw the dishes into a dishwasher that’s going to sanitize them once again. Consider using cold or merely warm water when rinsing your plates and utensils before loading them into your dishwasher which is going to use hot water to give them a thorough cleaning.
The same can be said for doing laundry: using the “hot” setting uses loads of energy and hot water that’s not entirely necessary. For loads which don’t feature an abundance of super-dirty clothing, consider running the load on the “cold” setting which uses no heated water. Your clothes will still come out clean, and you’ll actually help preserve their color for longer.
Finally, and this applies for both your laundry and dishwashing, don’t run the system for half-loads. Make sure the machine is completely full before running a load to make sure you get the most out of the energy and water you consume. This means you’ll have to run fewer loads, which saves you a bundle on energy and water each month!
Upgrade Your Water Heater
An old water heater system will burn far more energy than a new one, plain and simple. In fact, even a brand new, identical unit will be more efficient than an older one that has been in service for some time. As they age, heating elements no longer work as effectively, the tank itself loses the ability to retain heat as well as it once did, and many other things. On top of that, a new system is built using more energy-efficient technology than previous systems ever did. If your water heater is starting to show its age, now’s the time to replace it before it costs you too much or you face a serious problem such as a serious leak.
You may also wish to consider upgrading your home to a tankless water heater system which heats the water as you need it and distributes it throughout your home. No more needing to keep a tank full of hot water sitting and waiting—these systems produce an infinite supply of hot water and only use energy when hot water is what you need. As a result, you use far less energy producing the hot water you need each year, which saves you money!
About Arco Comfort Air
The skilled Novelty plumbers at Arco Comfort Air offer the latest, most energy-efficient water heater systems to help you save energy and reduce water waste. We install and service both traditional tank water heaters and modern tankless systems. Reducing water waste and energy consumption of your water heater not only reduces your monthly utility bills, but helps save the planet by using fewer resources thus increasing water and energy savings. Your comfort and satisfaction is of the utmost importance to us.
We even offer same day water heater installs! Call us before noon at (216) 230-5117 and we can get the job done today.