Save Money and Energy

There are lots of things you can do around your house to save money, and we’ve covered some of them here before. One often overlooked appliance in your house that can save you both some money and energy is your hot water heater. Heating water is the third largest energy expense in your home and there are several ways you can cut your energy use and your monthly bill.

Here are four ways to cut your monthly power bill:

• Use less hot water. Install aerating, low-flow faucets and shower heads. Repair leaky faucets and pipes. Take more showers than baths.

• Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater. Oftentimes your water heater is set on maximum even though it doesn’t need to b. About 120ºF should provide comfortable hot water for most uses.

• Insulate your hot water heater. Wrapping your heater with insulation, following manufacturer’s recommendations and instructions of course, will keep the water hotter for longer. You can also insulate the pipes that connect to your heater.

• Upgrade to a more efficient model. While your initial costs will be a little higher, over the life of the appliance you’ll make up the difference in energy and money saved.

These are just some of the ways to save. You can also try a solar hot water heater or an on-demand or tankless water heater. Do a little research to see where you can cut even more costs on your monthly utility bill.