Energy-Wise: Water Heating
Very often, a water heater is tucked away in a closet and
forgotten.
But your water heater is part of a system which includes a storage tank,
heating elements, thermostats and a lot of piping to carry the heated water to
usage points in your home. All of the various parts of this system and usage
patterns are important in your efforts to conserve and prevent waste:
Turn the thermostats down on the water heater.
Often the hot water heater control is set too high in order to overcome
heat losses from the tank and pipes. Usually the temperature dials on the
inside of the tank are clearly visible. KUA recommends a setting of 120° or
lower. Check your owner's manual for your dishwasher before lowering to make
sure this setting is feasible. Make sure the breaker is turned off before
opening these panels. Why pay for hot water you don't need?
Repair costly hot water drips and leaks.
It always pays to make inexpensive repairs on leaky hot water faucets,
showerheads, and pipe joints. Delaying a repair is not a good idea, since most
leaks gradually get worse. Many repairs, such as replacing a sink faucet
washer, you can do yourself - - inexpensively!
Drain one gallon of water from the bottom of the water tank every few months
to reduce mineral buildup.
Tanks lose efficiency if sediment accumulates in the bottom and reduces the
transfer of heat from the heating elements to the water. Periodically, open the
drain valve near the bottom of the tank and draw off water until it runs clear
and the sediment has been removed.
Install or repair insulation on the hot water storage tank and distribution
pipes.
Adding an insulating jacket or "wrap" to the tank and installing tubular
insulation on the pipes will reduce "stand-by" heat losses. Such equipment can
be purchased at local hardware stores.
Install water conserving showerheads and flow restrictors and aerators in
sink faucets.
Showerheads are now available that provide satisfying showers using only
2-3 gallons a minute, in contrast to the five or more gallons per minute used
by older models. In addition, an aerator, which "spreads" the water, can also
be installed on taps to lower the flow of water.
Install a tank timer.
This is a clock apparatus, which turns off your water heater after your
major usage period and then on again prior to when you'll again require large
amounts of hot water. This will be very helpful if water usage is at the same
time daily.
Investigate solar hot water heating or waste heat
recovery unit.
For a larger family using a lot of hot water resulting in high heating
bills, investing in these systems would eventually more than pay for
themselves.
