Tips For Using The Hot Water Heater Correctly And Save Money

Do not let hot water consumption increase your energy costs. The water heater is the third-largest expense your home has. It generally represents almost 13% of your energy bill. There are four ways to reduce your bills by the water heater: use less hot water, lower the temperature of the heater thermostat, thermally insulate the heater or buy a new and more efficient heater.

Tips For Using The Water Heater

  • Install showers and faucets of low flow or pressure.
  • Quickly repair leaking faucets; A leaking tap wastes many liters of water in a short time.
  • Lower the water heater temperature; Water heaters are sometimes factory set at high temperatures, but a temperature of 50° C provides the necessary hot water in most cases.
  • Take more showers than tub baths. Tub baths use most of the hot water in an average home.
  • Thermally insulate the electric hot water storage tank, being careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
  • Insulate the first 2 meters of the hot and cold water connections connected to the water heater.
  • Empty a quarter of the tank content every three months to remove sediment that prevents heat transfer and reduces heater efficiency. For this reason, you must follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
  • Although most water heaters last between 10 and 15 years, it is best to start looking for a new one if yours is more than seven years old. Finding out or looking for one before the heater fails will help you select the one that best suits your needs.

Tips To Save Money In The Long Term

  • Buy a new water heater that uses energy more efficiently. Although it may cost more money than a normal one, energy savings will continue throughout the life of the heater.
  • Value the convenience of installing a hot water recovery system.
  • Consider water heaters that do not use a tank and that use natural gas. Researchers have established that these tanks can save up to 30% compared to a gas water heater of the usual type with the tank.

Solar Water Heater

A solar heater will help us save gas since it heats water with energy from the sun. The system consists of two parts: the solar collector, which is responsible for capturing solar energy, and the hot water tank, which stores hot water.

It is recommended to install in series the solar heater with the gas (boiler) to operate as a backup in wintertime or when we use a lot of water, for example, when we have visitors.