When I was doing some research on how I can help my customers save even more money and lost resources I came across an article from Natural resources Canada titled “Better Water Use Means Bigger Savings”. In particular I felt that the section on water heaters was not only informative but also showed customers how they can help conserve water (and save money in the process). Everyone wins when each individual takes it upon themselves to make small changes that can benefit generations to come. I have included the portion of that article which is available to anyone on the Natural Resources Canada website.
Water Heaters:
Examine your water heater – if its surface is hot or even warm, some of the energy used to heat the water is being wasted. Wrap the heater in an insulating blanket. Be sure to check your user's manual and labels on the tank first.
Some new water heaters have insulation and are highly energy efficient. Adding a blanket may not make much difference.
Shopping for a new water heater? Look for a high-efficiency unit. Some new models heat water only when you need it rather than storing hot water in a tank.
When installing a new hot water tank or designing a new home make sure that you place the unit as close as possible to the kitchen, laundry and bathrooms. Heat is lost in long pipe runs. For instance, reducing a hot-water pipe from 10 to 3 metres will save enough energy in one month to heat water for 10 showers. Similarly, thin pipes are more energy efficient than thicker pipes; larger amounts of hot water are trapped in thicker pipes, and more heat is lost.
To help reduce heat loss, always insulate hot water pipes, especially where they run through unheated areas such as basements and crawl spaces. Insulate the first three metres on cold water pipes and the first two metres on hot water pipes running to and from tanks. This can save you about 2 percent on your heating bill and can reduce pipe-sweating problems in the summer. Do not place any pipe-wrap insulation within 15 cm of exhaust vents at the top of water heaters, and never insulate plastic pipes.
Many water heating tank manufacturers pre-set the temperature of the tank to 60°C (140°F). You can lower the thermostat to as low as 55°C (130°F) to save energy. Do not set it any lower, as this would risk the growth of disease-carrying bacteria such as legionella.
If you are concerned about the possibility of scalding at 55°C, a plumber can install a tempering valve that reduces the delivered water temperature while maintaining a safe temperature in your tank. Tempering valves can also be installed on individual taps where the risk is greatest to children, the infirm or elderly. A professional installer will be able to provide you with specific details about the best way to do this in your home.
Note: Some older dishwashers need to have the water at 60°C (140°F) in order to work properly. If your dishwasher doesn't have an element to boost the temperature, you may have to set the thermostat at 60°C. If you do, set the thermostat exactly at 60°C. Temperatures higher than this can shorten the life of glass-lined water heaters.
Turn down your water-heater thermostat to a minimum setting when you plan to be away for extended periods of time.
Twice a year, or monthly if you live in an area that has heavy mineral deposits in the water, empty a bucket of water from your water heater. The drain cock is usually found at the bottom of the unit. Be careful: the water in the tank is especially hot. If you can, drain the tank when the water is cold.
Never store anything on top of natural gas water heaters. Make sure that combustion air openings at the bottom of these tanks – and opening below the draft diverters at flue ducts on top – are always kept unblocked.
For additional energy-saving tips, read the user's manual for your home's water heater.
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