Did you know that water heating contributes up to 25% of your home’s energy bill, according to Energy Rating? That doesn’t mean your energy bill has to be a monster though.
Saving on your water heating bill can be as easy as changing the thermostat or using a different setting on your washing machine!
1. Change up your shower habits
What’s one thing that you and your energy bill have in common? You both love long and hot showers! Your wallet might not appreciate it as much as you do, however.
Studies have shown that showering can make up 17% of a home’s water use. On average, a typical 8 minute shower uses nearly 65 litres of water!
Multiply that by the average number of people per household (that’s roughly 3), and your home’s daily shower ritual is using close to 200 litres of water a day!
Cutting down on your shower time can really make a difference in the amount of water your home is using. Capping your shower length to 5 minutes for most days by using a timer or simply listening to 2 of your favourite songs is a great place to start saving hot water.
2. Don’t get heated over your laundry and dishes
Generally speaking, hot water is more effective at cleaning your clothes and dishes than cold water. Cold or warm water can still get the job done more often than not though.
Set your dishwasher or washing machine to the eco setting or select a cold wash and you’ll significantly reduce the amount of hot water you’re using.
Can’t go without hot water? Just make sure you’re being efficient and only using your washing machine or dishwasher when it’s full!
3. How low can you flow?
Do you still have an old showerhead? It might be using between 15 and 25 litres of water per minute! While you might have cut down your shower time to 5 minutes, you could be using a whopping 100 litres of water for that shower!
Make the move to a low flow shower head and reap the savings. These shower heads are designed to mimic the feel of a regular shower head, all while using significantly less water - around 7.5 litres per minute, but some are even lower!
Don’t limit it to the shower only though, you can install low flow fixtures across the whole home!
4. Set the thermostat
You might think this is asking the obvious, but what temperature is your water heater set to? It might be hotter than it needs to be. This means you’ll be using more energy and more money to heat your water.
To prevent bacteria from growing, storage tank hot water heaters are required to be set to a minimum temperature of 60°C. Many tanks, however, are set to 65°C when they’re installed.
Whether you can set the thermostat yourself or need to call in a licensed plumber, you’ll be making some good savings on your water heating bill by changing this.
5. Upgrade to a more efficient water heater
While all the tips above can help you cut down on your water heating bill, the most effective way to reduce this bill is to ensure you have the right water heater installed in the first place.
What size storage tank do you have? Regardless of whether or not you use all the water in the tank, it will heat it all up. If your tank is excessively large, you’ll be using energy to heat more water than you need.
What energy source are you using? Gas is typically more energy efficient than electric, but isn’t available everywhere.
Have you considered using solar energy? In a sunny climate, solar water heaters are the most energy efficient water heater, but cost more upfront.
And then there’s the alternative to storage tanks - continuous flow water heaters! These heat water on demand, so you’re only paying for the hot water you use.
With all these options, it can be difficult to decide which system would suit your home. Speaking with a licensed plumber, such as the Metropolitan plumbers, can help you choose the right water heater for your home.
6. Regularly service your water heater
The average water heater should last you 8-12 years. Over time your water heater will start to show signs of its age and become less efficient.
Regular maintenance can help to pick up these inefficiencies before they hit your wallet significantly. They can even prevent you from needing to replace your water heater entirely when parts can simply be replaced!
When used together, these 6 tips can really help you save on your water heating bill!
