Written on: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017
You use about 60 gallons of hot water every day to wash your clothes, your dishes, and yourself – so it shouldn’t be any surprise that water heating can account for anywhere from one-quarter to one-third of your monthly energy bill.
If you want to cut your water heating bills, there are four ways to do it:

1. Use less hot water – The hot water you use adds up quickly – 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 (2-3 gallons / minute)

Here are some simple ideas to use less hot water:

• Wash your clothes with cold water – today’s detergents work just as well in cold water as they do in warm
• Make sure you use the right setting on your clothes washer for the amount of clothes you are cleaning
• Use the low-water setting on your dishwasher
• If you hand wash dishes, use a basin to wash and run water only for rinsing
• Only run your dishwasher (or clothes washer) when it’s full
• Install low-flow faucets and showerheads
• Take shorter showers

2. Lower your water heater’s thermostat – Try setting your water heater’s thermostat to 120°F rather than the 130-150°F temperatures that most manufacturers use as their default setting. You probably won’t feel a difference.
3. 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 in transfer – along with the body of your water tank (to prevent “standing loss,” or heat lost when previously heated water sits unused).
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 conventional or tankless replacement. Better yet, think about installing an indirect-fired water heater, which uses heat generated to warm the air in your home to also warm your water. With an indirect-fired water heater, you’ll essentially get your water heated for free during the winter months, which can slash about 30 percent off your annual energy bill.

Contact Swezey today to learn more about water heater options, or to get a FREE Estimate on an upgrade for your Long Island home!