Get Green with Water Heating

Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home.  In the typical American home, 12% of your utility bill is for water heating.  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.

Water Heating Tips

• Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.
• Repair leaky faucets promptly (a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time).
• Lower the thermostat on your water heater.  Water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120°F provides comfortable hot water for nearly all uses.
• Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the thermostat.  Take care to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations when doing this or call SMO for assistance.
• Insulate your oil hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the water heater’s top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment.  For additional information on how to do this, you can contact SMO.
• Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.
• If you are in the market for a new dishwasher or clothes washer, consider buying a high efficiency, water-saving ENERGY STAR® model to reduce hot water use.
• Install heat traps (some new water heaters have built-in heat traps) on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat loss.
• 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.
• Although most water heaters last 10–15 years, it’s best to start shopping now for a new one if your heater is more than seven years old.  Doing some research before your water heater fails will enable you to select one that most appropriately meets your needs.

Long-Term Savings Tips

• Buy a new energy-efficient water heater.  While it may cost more initially than a standard water heater, the energy savings will continue for the lifetime of the appliance. Look for the ENERGY STAR® and EnergyGuide labels.
• Consider tankless water heaters.  Researchers have found savings can be up to 30% compared with a standard storage tank water heater.