Serving parts of Fairfield, Litchfield & New Haven Counties since 1982
If yours is like the average American household, you use about 60 gallons of hot water every day to wash your clothes, your dishes, and yourself. No wonder your water heater guzzles up to 30 percent of the energy used in your home!
If you want to cut your water heating bills, there are four ways to do it:
1.Use less hot water – Hot water gallons can add up quickly, so try to shorten the time it takes to do your common household tasks. Here’s how much you hot water you’ll consume with common appliances:
• Clothes washer (one load) – 25 gallons
• Shower – 10 gallons
• Dishwasher – 6 gallons
• Kitchen / bathroom faucet (2 gallons / minute)
Simply washing your clothes with cold water can reduce your monthly water heating load by 125 gallons or more (detergents have come a long way over the years; they work well with cold water). Other ways to cut down on water use include using low-water modes on appliances and installing low-flow faucets and showerheads.
2.Insulate your hot water pipes and storage tank – Insulate the first six feet of the hot water piping connected to your water heater, where much of the heat is lost as it travels to your taps and appliances. Insulating your water tank will prevent your water heater from having to reheat standing water.
3.Lower your water heater’s thermostat – Try setting your water heater’s thermostat to 120°F rather than the higher temperatures that most manufacturers use. You won’t feel a difference.
4.Consider upgrading to a high efficiency water heater – If your conventional water heater (one with a tank) is more than seven years old, it might be time to consider installing a high efficiency replacement – or better yet, to think about installing an indirect-fired water heater, which uses heat generated to heat the air in your home to also warm your water.
With an indirect-fired water heater, you’ll basically get your hot water for free during the winter months, which can slash about 30 percent off your annual energy bill.
Contact Jennings Oil today to learn more about water heater options, or to get a FREE Estimate on an upgrade for your New Haven-area home!
