Having hot water on-demand is necessary for a whole host of everyday tasks, from showering to washing clothes and dishes. This means it’s no good if your water heater operates inefficiently. For home life to run smoothly, we need access to hot water on demand.
Luckily, it’s not necessary for you to overhaul the entire water heater system to improve the efficiency of your water heater. Here are a few tricks you can try to help get the best performance out of your water heater:
1. Reduce the temperature
Lowering the thermostat settings on water heaters is one of the easiest things to try, and it helps with family safety too. By reducing the maximum temperature, the water can get to minimizes the chance of family members scalding themselves.
This trick is great if you have a tankless water heater, because, in these systems, the cold water moves through a piping network to a heating unit. If you decrease the temperature that the water must reach, you can decrease the power consumption. In fact, it’s estimated that even a change of 20 degrees Fahrenheit can lower energy usage by up to 10%.
2. Insulate the tank
Many times, home builders place water heaters. This means it’s imperative to insulate the tanks. Otherwise, the heat leeches into the cold air, requiring to keep the water at a consistent temperature. As a result, you not only end up reducing the efficiency of the heater, but you also waste money on energy bills too.
To add insulation, buy an insulation jacket for your water heater, which comes in various sizes to fit snugly on your model. In the interests of safety, remember not to insulate over the pressure release valve on gas water heaters.
3. Perform an annual tank flush
Flushing your conventional water heater once a year is an important, but often overlooked, part of water heater maintenance. With a few simple steps, you can help ensure your heater is working at optimum efficiency.
First, turn off the energy supply, whether that’s gas or electric. Next, locate the drain valve or discharge pipe, which is usually at the bottom of the tank. After attaching a hose to the valve, open it and let all the water inside the tank drain out. You can shut off the valve and let the tank refill when the water runs clear. Clearwater means the removal of any built-up impurities, sediments, and minerals that decrease efficiency.
If you’re daunted by the prospect of improving your water heater’s efficiency on your own, our plumbers at Morrison Plumbing, Heating & Cooling are here to help. When it comes to any aspect of plumbing repair or maintenance in Caseyville, IL, we have the experience and knowledge to find the right solution for you, so contact us at morrisonplumbing.com today.
