Looking to Save Money This Fall? Turn Down Your Water Heater Temperature

Saving energy saves money. It also reduces your Portland home’s carbon footprint, which helps the environment and preserves resources. If you haven’t considered that your water heater temperature can affect energy bills, you may want to reconsider. Read on for easy energy-saving tips for water heating.

Benefits of Lower Temperature

Water heater temperature from manufacturers is generally set to 140 degrees. The reason is to kill or neutralize germs and bacteria. Though, water temperature this hot can cause scalding, increase energy costs, and lend to corrosion of the water heater and pipes.

A hot water temperature of 120 to 122 degrees has been found effective at controlling germs and bacteria, and you can save as much as 10 percent on water-heating costs. Since water heating accounts for up to 20 percent of total household energy usage, you can keep more money in your wallet and prevent scalding with lower temperatures.

Turn Back the Thermostat Dial

Turning down the water heater temperature is a simple task. The thermostat for gas water heaters is on the gas valve. Turn it back toward the “low” indicator, wait a few hours, and test water temperature at the most distant faucet.

For electric water heaters, you’ll need to remove one or two panels on the bottom and top of the tank. Turn off the circuit breaker before you do this. Set both thermostat dials to the same setting. Wait a few hours and test the temperature with a thermometer at a faucet.

More Water Heater Savings

Water heaters offer more ways to save energy and keep more energy dollars in your pocket. Consider these tips:

• Schedule water heater maintenance each year.
• Use foam sleeves to insulate the inlet and outlet pipes to the water heater.
• Continue on and insulate all hot water pipes in your home.
• Drain one gallon of water from the drain bib every other month to reduce sediment and improve efficiency.
• If you have an older system, wrap it with insulation designed for your model to reduce standby heat loss.

If you have questions about lowering water heater temperature, contact Roth Heating & Cooling today.