In most households, water heating is a major expense, accounting for up to 25 percent of the energy purchased each month. Hot water can be costly, but it is not something you can easily do without. Hot water helps keep your family safe, clean and free from disease. Here are three practical ways to lower water-heating costs while still having plenty of hot water for all of your necessary household tasks.
Fix water leaks
Leaks anywhere within your hot-water system will waste huge amounts of water and energy. A leak means you are wasting money on heating water that drips away unused. Even a few drops of water coming from the faucet quickly add up to many wasted gallons. A leak of one drop per second can add one dollar a month to your utility bill. Fixing leaks in your faucets, supply pipes, and shower heads saves money and conserves water.
Use low-flow fixtures
You can reduce your hot-water usage considerably by replacing existing plumbing fixtures with low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators. These devices decrease the amount of hot water flowing out of them but keep enough water coming to perform normal household tasks. Shower heads should have a flow rate of less than 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm), kitchen faucets 2.2 gpm, and bathroom fixtures 0.5-1.5 gpm. Low-flow fixtures can reduce water use by 25-60 percent.
Install high-efficiency appliances
Replace your existing water heater, boiler, dishwasher, and/or clothes washing machine with high-efficiency models, if possible. High-efficiency units can reduce operating costs by two-thirds or more. Look for Energy Star-certified appliances to ensure the highest level of efficiency. Buying high-efficiency appliances can be more expensive initially, but over time they provide considerable savings on utility costs.
Since 1945, Aladdin Heating & Cooling has provided trusted residential, commercial and industrial HVAC sales and services to customers in the Detroit area, including Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties. Contact us today for more information on lowering water-heating costs and for help choosing the supplies and equipment to do the job.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about water-heating costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Aladding Heating & Cooling services the Detroit, Michigan and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!