An electric hot water system can consume a lot of energy. The amount of money you spend on utilities can be even higher if your home has many occupants and they all make use of hot water in the shower, laundry room, kitchen and faucets. So if you are looking for ways to cut down on energy costs, start with the hot water system. Observe the following tips on how to increase the efficiency of hot water systems and make significant annual energy savings.

Insulate your heating system

Heating systems can lose a lot of heat to the atmosphere, and this means that they will spend more energy to maintain the temperature of the water. Invest in quality insulation for your hot water tank so that the water can remain hot for extended periods. This will prevent the heater from continually heating the water, and you will end up making some decent savings. Note that insulation is not just useful during the winter, but it can help maintain energy efficiency all year round.

Adjust the temperature

Have you ever changed the temperature settings on your hot water system? If not, the heater may be heating the water to an unnecessarily high temperature. In most cases, you only need water that's warm but not scalding hot. So if your heater heats the water to a scalding level, it means that you're wasting a lot of power. Adjust the temperature on the heating unit so that it can only heat water to the desired temperature to avoid losing energy. This will also prevent scalding accidents, especially if you don't have an anti-scald valve in place.

Upgrade to an instant system

If your home has a traditional tanked heating system, you may be spending a lot of money to make sure that there's an adequate supply of hot water at all times. Additionally, the tanked systems tend to consume a lot of energy as they continually heat the water and maintain its temperature to the set levels. So, even when no one is using the shower or washer, the heater will still be working to keep the water warm. Save energy in your home by upgrading to an instant or tankless hot water system. Tankless systems do not have a water storage tank, and they heat water instantly on a demand basis. This way, the system uses up less energy, and you will notice a reduction in your power consumption.

Faults in your electric heater can cause the unit to lose its efficiency. Contact an electrician for regular tune-ups and maintenance of your hot water system so that you can improve its energy efficiency.

Share