Water Heater Temperature: Why It Doesn't Need to Be So Hot

Whether you are looking for greater efficiency in your home energy usage to lessen your environmental impact, or to cut down on your energy bills, take a look at your hot water system. You may be surprised to find that savings can be made by simply lowering your water heater temperature.

Saving Money with Lower Heat

Due to a mix of different regulations and standards across states, you may find that your hot water system is set anywhere between 120 and 140 degrees. For most people, 120 degrees is just fine for their needs, but there are some exceptions, including:

• old dishwashers without preheat functionality, may need to run water at 140 degrees to properly sanitize household utensils.

• water with a detectable odor may have bacteria in the system, and a good flush at 140 degrees could be needed to kill off the bacteria.

In most other circumstances, you can save costs with a lower water heater temperature at 120 degrees. Turning the thermostat down saves you money in a couple ways:

• heat lost into the surrounds is at a lower cost than if the temperature was set higher.

• hot water used in the home for washing is available at a lower cost as well.

Also, if you are going to be away from home for some time, consider switching the temperature down low, and then turning it back up when you arrive home. Otherwise, all that energy devoted to heating the water is simply wasted.

Keep Your Hot Water System at Peak Efficiency

To support your efforts at minimizing hot water costs, regular preventative maintenance of your hot water system will help considerably. Get a HVAC contractor to clean out the system, checking for any signs of corrosion, unusual sediment levels, and serious wear and tear.

Free Expert Advice

If you are unsure about any of this, and need expert advice about any issues around lowering the water heater temperature in your home, please feel free to contact us at Air Assurance. Since 1985, we have been looking after the home comfort needs of the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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Water Heaters: For Some Households, Tank Types Work Best

There are a variety of water heater options available to any homeowner when it’s time for a replacement. While tankless water heaters have many benefits and are becoming more popular, the conventional tank water heater is still often the best option for your home because of the following reasons.

Massive capacity. Running out of hot water in the middle of needing it is the worst. This is a problem rarely encountered once you have a properly sized tank water heater, which can store anywhere from 20 to 120 gallons.

More affordable. Tank heaters are by far the cheaper option when compared to tankless units. If you had a tank heater in the past it will also be easy to put in a new one, whereas tankless heaters often require some extra work to be done.

Good range. There are no issues providing hot water to any number of outlets in your home with a tank heater. On the other hand, a tankless heater must be installed close to the point of use, which means that big homes often need multiple units.

Consistent Flow. It’s easy to get frustrated if the water pressure from your taps consistently varies. Since tankless heaters have a limited capacity, this is a major problem in many home. A conventional tank heater on the other hand has a large reserve capacity, which means that water flow will largely be uninterrupted.

Easy to maintain. Tankless heaters may take up less room, but can often be difficult to access to maintain or repair. Your tank heater is accessible enough that all parts are easy to inspect, clean and fix if needed.

If you’re unsure of the best type of water heaters in your Broken Arrow home, feel free to contact Air Assurance for help.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Water Heater Sizing, Installation, Maintenance and Operation Tips

Are you looking at buying a new water heater? Make sure it’s the right size first. Then, become familiar with tips for installing, maintaining and operating your water heater for long-term savings.

Water Heater Sizing

Even if your last tank seemed to do its job well, don’t assume it was the ideal capacity. To size a new water heater, add up how much hot water your household consumes during the busiest hour of an average day. This is your peak-hour demand. Find a water heater with a comparable first-hour rating (FHR) printed on the yellow Energy Guide label.

Different fuel sources deliver different FHRs in relation to the tank size. As a general rule of thumb, one- to two-person households need about a 40-gallon electric or gas water heater while a four-person household may need a 50-gallon gas water heater or up to an 80-gallon electric water heater.

Installation

To maximize efficiency, install the following items along with your new investment:

• Aerating, low-flow showerheads and faucets

• Water heater and piping insulation

• Drain-water waste recovery system to preheat cold water entering the water heater

Maintenance

Neglect your water heater and it may last less than a decade. Take good care of it and it could last 20 years or more. Follow these maintenance tips to lengthen the life of your investment:

• Flush the tank twice a year.

• Inspect the pressure relief valve and have it replaced if you spot corrosion or rust.

• Remove and inspect the anode rod and replace it if six inches or more of the core wire is exposed.

• Inspect the combustion chamber and flue vent on gas- and oil-fired units.

• Remove and check the heating elements on electric units.

Operation Tips

Save energy and money with these tips:

• Set the water heater to 120 degrees instead of 140 degrees.

• Repair leaky faucets promptly.

• Take shorter showers.

• Only run the dishwasher and clothes washing machine with full loads.

• Set the water heater to vacation mode when you leave town.

For help on water heater sizing for your Broken Arrow home, please contact Air Assurance today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock