Getting the Most Out of Your Water Heater This Winter

As the temperature outside begins to drop, the prospect of a hot shower at the end of a long day becomes even more appealing. A few simple tips can help you get the most out of your home’s water heater for comfortable living all winter long.

Adjust the Temperature

Water heaters have variable temperature settings, allowing homeowners to choose the temperature of their hot water. The higher the temperature setting, the more energy your water heater uses. The ideal temperature setting on your water heater is essentially a balance between your comfort level and the cost of using the appliance. Most water heaters come from the manufacturer set at 140 degrees, which is higher than the average home needs. In fact, water at the hottest setting on your appliance can easily scald in seconds. Set your water heater at a maximum of 120 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid injury. This temperature should be sufficient for any household tasks, including comfortable bathing. If you are constantly turning up the temperature on your water heater but not getting the hot water you need, it’s time to call in a professional to check for problems. You can also turn down the heat on your water heater if you’ll be away from home for more than a few days. Set the dial to low or “vacation” mode to reduce the amount of energy used by your water heater and save money on your utility bill.

Use Low-Flow Fixtures

Low-flow showerheads and sink faucets can reduce your water usage by up to 60%. Using less water means using less hot water as well, which lowers the cost of running your water heater. Especially if your home is host to a large number of people, low-flow fixtures can stretch a possibly limited hot water supply farther, meaning everyone will be more comfortable. Even if your home utilizes a tankless water heater, reducing your hot water usage during the winter with low-flow fixtures puts less pressure on your system and still reduces the cost of obtaining hot water

Go Tankless

If your home has a tank water heater that is 10 years old or more, replacing it with a tankless water heater can help you save money and enjoy more hot water. Tankless water heaters heat water on demand rather than keeping a storage tank continually at the set temperature. In a home that uses 41 gallons of water a day or less, you can enjoy up to 34% in energy savings. Even if you use more than 41 gallons a day, you can still achieve savings of up to 14% due to increased efficiency. In order to maximize the savings you enjoy from your tankless water heater, take shorter showers and run appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines only when you can clean a full load of dishes or clothing.

Using your water heater wisely this winter will ensure your Omaha home has plenty of hot water while lowering the cost of your monthly utilities. If you’re having water heater problems or are ready to replace your current model, visit our website to find out how Aksarben/ARS can help. You can find more tips on water heater and HVAC maintenance for a comfortable home on our blog.

Conserving Water in Your Home

Conserving water is both easy and economical. By using less water on a daily basis, you’ll not only lower your water bills but conserve this valuable natural resource. You don’t need to make significant lifestyle changes to reduce water usage in your Flagstaff home. A few simple changes to your habits and low-cost changes to your plumbing can result in immediate water savings you can enjoy.

Install Low-Flow Fixtures and Aerators

If your home has older plumbing fixtures, they could be using significantly more water than necessary to accomplish everyday tasks. Aging fixtures may use up to two and a half gallons of water per minute, which can add up over the course of a ten- or twenty-minute shower. Replacing your current showerheads with low-flow fixtures can reduce the flow rate during a shower by half or more. Although you are using less water, low-flow showerheads are designed to maintain high water pressure so your comfort won’t suffer. Low-flow showerheads are available at many home improvement and plumbing stores at low cost, so you don’t need to worry about a high-cost plumbing makeover. You can also purchase aerators for your kitchen and bathroom sink faucets. Aerators mix air with the water flow to cut the flow rate in your sink by nearly two gallons per minute without sacrificing water pressure.

Learn to Recognize Leaks

Home leaks can account for up to 90 gallons of wasted water each day. Learning to spot and address leaks can help you conserve water and protect your home from water damage. A sudden spike in your water bill compared with the previous month could be indicative of a leak. If you suspect you may have a running toilet, place a few drops of food coloring into the tank and wait 20 minutes. If color has appeared in the bowl, there is a leak between your toilet’s tank and bowl. Even if you are experiencing a small leak or water problem, call in a plumber to address the issue immediately. Over time, tiny drips and leaks add up into significant water usage and higher utility bills.

Use Water Wisely

Appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines make many chores easier. However, poor usage habits can result in unnecessary water waste. Only run your dishwasher or washing machine when you can clean a full load. If your washing machine features and adjustable water level, reduce the amount of water used when you do wash fewer clothes. If you care for your lawn regularly, install a rain barrel or recycle the water from washing vegetables in your sink to care for your lawn. Using recycled water to care for your lawn or landscaping can cut out nearly 30% of your monthly water consumption.

Are you ready to create a more sustainable household by implementing these simple water conservation techniques? You can learn more about water conservation and how your plumber can help your efforts by clicking through our blog. Visit our website to contact a professional and find out more about our repair, replacement, and upgrade services in Yavapai, Coconino, and Maricopa Counties.

Should You Switch to a Tankless Water Heater?

Tankless water heaters have earned rave reviews for their ability to produce endless, on-demand hot water for your home. However, there are drawbacks as well as benefits to replacing your storage water heater with a tankless model. If you’re ready to replace your water heater and aren’t sure whether you should go tankless, keep reading to explore some of the pros and cons of switching to a tankless water heater.

Tank Water Heaters

Traditional tank water heaters store heated water inside a tank. Because water is kept hot even when it is not needed, your water heater experiences standby heat loss. Standby heat loss refers to heat that is lost through the insulated walls of the tank. Energy—which costs money—is used to compensate for this heat loss whenever the temperature of the water inside the tank falls too low. A tank water heater also produces a limited supply of hot water. Although water is continually fed into the tank and heated to replace lost volume, if you use all the hot water in your tank at once, you must wait before you can enjoy hot water once more. However, a properly-sized tank water heater can provide sufficient hot water for all your needs and represents a lower initial investment than a tankless model.

Tankless Water Heaters

A tankless water heater does not maintain a reservoir of heated water. Instead, these appliances work by heating water quickly as it flows through a heat exchanger. Water is only heated when you turn on the hot water tap, meaning you are only paying to heat the water you’re using. Tankless water heaters don’t suffer from standby heat loss, and a properly-sized water heater can provide enough hot water for many plumbing fixtures inside your home simultaneously. Because hot water is produced on demand, as long as you don’t exceed the capacity of your water heater, you will never run out of hot water. Additionally, installing a tankless water heater may qualify you for a federal tax credit or rebate on your purchase.

Considerations Before You Go Tankless

While tankless water heaters have many benefits over storage models, there are some drawbacks as well. A tankless water heater is harder to flush and clean than a tank water heater, and is more likely to require professional servicing if there is a problem. Tankless water heaters cost more to purchase and install than storage models, and you may need to increase the capacity of your home’s natural gas line to accommodate its energy needs. A tankless water heater requires a minimum flow rate of 0.5 gallons per minute to activate its heat exchanger for the production of hot water. If your home utilizes low-flow fixtures at or near this rate, you may experience problems with your hot water. While tankless models advertise instantaneous and endless hot water, if you exceed the capacity of your water heater, you can still experience a shortage of hot water.

Are you considering installing a new water heater in your Knoxville home? You can explore your options with the help of a professional plumber when you visit our website. We invite you to click through the articles on the Mrs. Rooter blog to find more information about home plumbing appliances and how to choose the right one for your needs.