Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. It typically accounts for about 13% of your utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater or buy a new, more efficient water heater.

Here are some tips:

1. Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.

2. Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.

3. 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.

4. Take more showers than baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in the average household.

5. Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

6. Insulate your natural gas or oil hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the water heater’s top, bottom, thermostat or burner compartment. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations; when in doubt, get professional help.

7. Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.

8. If you are in the market for a new dishwasher or clothes washer, consider buying an efficient water-saving ENERGY STAR model to reduce hot water use.

9. Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat loss. Some new water heaters have built-in heat traps.

10. 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.

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.

Consider natural-gas on-demand or tankless water heaters. Researchers have found savings can be up to 30% compared with a standard natural-gas storage tank water heater.

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   April 4, 2010 at 10:37 am

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