According to SRP, up to 20% of their average customer’s annual energy usage goes towards producing hot water for every day tasks such as laundry, bathing, cooking and dishwashing. Employing a few simple tips can help you save money while also saving water and energy.
- Identify and repair all leaky water faucets. A slow drip can leak hundreds of gallons of water per year. If it’s a hot water leak, both the water and heating it will cost you money. Be sure to turn off faucets completely and teach your kids to properly turn off faucets.
- Set the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees. Lowering the temperature from 140 degrees to 120 degrees can save you up to $7 per month. Setting your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees can also reduce the risk of scalding accidents, which are especially a concern with young children and the elderly.
- If you participate in a peak-hour type program with your electric company, you should consider installing a timer on your water heater. Set the timer in a manner that will prevent the water heater from cycling on during the expensive, on-peak hours.
- Instead of taking baths, take short showers. A bath can use 15-25 gallons of water, while an average 5-minute shower uses less than 10 gallons.
- Consider installing low-flow faucets or aerators in your kitchen and/or bathroom. This can reduce consumption of hot water by up to 35%.
The above figures are based on a typical SRP customer with an electric water heater. However, saving hot water can also save you money if you have a gas water heater!
Source: SRP’s Contact, February 2006
Unfortunately most utility companies have minimum fees and lowering your water heater temperature below a certain amount does absolutely nothing to save you money. I personally wouldn’t sacrifice too much comfort. After some long term testing in my own home I found that there was no difference between 125 degrees and any amount lower than that on my gas bill. A lot of people forget about minimum fees.