Steps to Improve the Efficiency of Your Water Heater

To have consistent hot water in your home, you must take special care of your water heater. Ensuring your water heater is functioning efficiently is central to making sure your home has consistent hot water available.

1.    Make Sure Your Water Heater is the Right Size

Most people assume a smaller water heater equates to less money spent on hot water. This is wrong in most cases. A home that uses a water heater that is too small can cause issues. A water heater that is too small to fulfill the needs of your home will be overworked. This will lead to more wear and tear over time.

2.    Check Your Water Heater Sediment

Water has minerals in it. These minerals can harden into sediment over time. As the water heats up, sediment crystallizes and can create sludge in your tank. This reduces the efficacy of your water heater over time. Draining your water heater once or twice per year, according to your manufacturer’s suggestions, can mitigate sediment buildup.

3.    Insulate Your Tank and Pipes

The heat of the water can be easily lost when it travels from the tank to your home. While traveling through the pipe system, water can quickly lose heat if the pipes are not well insulated. Ensuring hot water is insulated from the time it leaves the tank to the time it comes out of your spout will increase the efficiency of your water heater.

4.    Set Your Water Heater’s Thermostat

All water heaters feature an adjustable thermostat. Most manufacturers will set the thermostat to a default temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Water above 120 degrees Fahrenheit is unsafe to bathe with. Therefore, turning your thermostat down to 120 degrees causes your water heater to work less hard to reach its set temperature.

5.    Install a Volt Timer

Without a volt timer, your water heater is busy keeping a tank of hot water at your specified temperature around the clock. A lot of energy is wasted in this scenario, given hot water is not always in use in the home. By installing a volt timer, your hot water heater turns off when it won’t be needed, such as overnight. This saves energy and mitigates wear and tear.

Conclusion

Your water heater is very important. You can take proactive steps, like the above, to keep your water heater functioning at its full potential and avoid costly repairs down the line. Contact Elk Grove Village Sewer & Plumbing if you have any issues.