Did you know that water heating can account for 14%–25% of the energy consumed in your home, especially in the coming months? According to the DOE, it's true. With this in mind, we thought we'd share with you a few of the DOE's energy-efficient water heating strategies to help you save throughout the holiday season.
- Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
- Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120° F.
- Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.
- Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads. Select a shower head with a flow rate of less than 2.5 gpm (gallons per minute) for maximum water efficiency.
- Consider natural-gas on-demand or tankless water heaters. Researchers have found savings can be up to 30% compared with a standard natural-gas storage tank water heater.
- Consider installing a drain water waste heat recovery system. A recent DOE study showed energy savings of 25% to about 30% for water heating using such a system.
- Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat loss. Some new water heaters have built-in heat traps.
- Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.