If your Nashville family uses a lot of hot water, you will have a great opportunity to save money and energy by simply turning down the water heater thermostat. In a typical home, water heating accounts for about 15% of energy costs. Improving the efficiency of that water heater can save a significant amount o fmoney over the water heater's life. No matter whether your home uses electric or gas-fired water heaters, you can certainly benefit from water heater maintenance and efficiency improvements.

Here are a few simple actions you can discuss with your qualified plumbing contractor to reduce your water heating costs:

• nsulate the tank. This is one of the most effective and least expensive energy-saving steps you can take. By doing this, you will keep the heat within the tank longer and reduce the losses to the atmosphere. You can obtain insulation jackets for water heaters for $20 or less at home centers. Follow the installation instructions that come with the jacket.

 

• Fix any leaky faucets and showerheads. If hot water is leaking, you are wasting huge amounts of water, and energy! A leak that produces one drop per second will waste over 190 gallons per month, or 2,300 gallons per year. A leak that fills an 8-ounce cup in a minute will waste 2,700 gallons per month and 33,000 gallons per year -- enough to fill a swimming pool!

 

• Insulate water pipes leading from the tank. By doing this, you will slow down the heat loss. It also raises the temperature of hot water at the tap by 2° to 4°, which allows you to lower the temperature setting on the water heater. Pipe insulation is usually a foam sleeve, slit lengthwise, that costs less than 50¢ per foot at home centers. Insulate all of the hot water piping that is accessible, especially the first six feet of pipe coming out of the water heater.

 

• Lower the water heater thermostat. For every 10° you turn down the water heater, you'll save about 3% to 5% on water heating costs. A setting of 120° (usually halfway between "low" and "medium") is usually hot enough. You can check the actual temperature of your water at the taps by continually running hot water into a cup with a thermometer placed in it.