Throughout the home are a number of different opportunities for being more energy efficient. As you look around at appliances, energy saving solutions exists for each one. For instance, when it comes to the water heater, several changes could be made that would make the unit more efficient, which in turn leaves more of your hard-earned money in your pocket instead of being paid to utility companies. Although there are several changes specific to the water heater, we wanted to address two that are easy to complete and changes that would start the savings process immediately.
Heat Trap
For starters, you might consider installing heat traps on the water heater or having one installed for you. Now, some water heaters already have heat traps but if not, you could easily save as much as $30 a month on the heating bill. These simple traps are designed to prevent convective heat loss that would otherwise escape through the outlet and inlet pipes.
Also referred to as loops of pipe or valves, the design allows water to flow into the water heater tank but without hot water flowing out. Inside, small balls are used as a part of the design that would sink into a seat or float as a way of stopping the convective flow. Keep in mind that when shopping for water heater traps, they are always sold in pairs, usually for around $25 to $30. The reason is that the traps are designed for a hot or cold water line so within the package would be one valve to go with the type of line your water heater has.
It is important to note that while installation is not difficult, it is essential that they be soldered properly. Therefore, unless you know how to solder a pipe joint correctly, you would need to hire a heating contractor or plumber, with the contractor being the more affordable of the two. The ideal option would be for heat traps to be installed when purchasing a new Energy Star water heater or buying a new water heater with traps already a part of the design but if not, they can be installed.
Water Temperature
The second way to make the water heater more energy efficient is by lowering the water temperature for water stored within the tank. For this, all you would need to do is lower the thermostat setting. Interestingly, for every 10 degrees the thermostat is lowered, you would save up to 5% on the cost of energy. Often, new water heaters are sold already set at 140 degrees but overall, an average family of four would only need the setting to be at 120 degrees. In fact, 140 degrees is actually dangerous, especially when there are small children in the home because the water would be too hot.
You may find that your dishwasher requires heat between 130 and 140 degrees to ensure dishes are cleaned and sanitized. One solution would be to purchase an Energy Star dishwasher, one with a booster heater. That way, the water heater thermostat could stay at 120 degrees and the dish would be properly cleaned. This temperature would also be fine for washing clothes although to reduce even more energy consumption and save additional money, we strongly recommend you wash in cold water, using hot only when absolutely necessary.
In addition to less energy being used and you paying a lower utility bill each month, lowering the thermostat of the water heater would also help extend the life of the unit in that it would be able to operate at optimal performance but without working overtime. Of course, if you have any questions about the right way of changing the thermostat, simply contact the manufacturer. One final note is that if you plan to go on vacation or be away from the house for three days or longer, you could still reduce energy consumption by lowering the thermostat during that time.
