Making the Most of Your Water Heater
Even if you don't want to install the newest energy saving water heater tomorrow, you can still get your old water heater in better energy shape.
 Bundle your water heater up in a nice cozy insulating jacket, particularly if the heater was made before 1992. It will reduce the heat lost through the walls of the tank by 25-40 percent. These jackets work well on brand new water heaters as well as old ones, although they lead to more dramatic energy savings on the older models. But don't put a jacket on a model where the manufacturer says not to. And make sure you don't cover the thermostat. Don't restrict the air inlets on gas- or oil-fired water heaters either.
Set your water heater at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That should be plenty comfortable. Each 10 degree reduction in the water temperature setting cuts the heater's energy consumption by 3-5 percent. ( You should be washing clothes in the "warm" or "cold" wash and rinse settings anyway.) Your dishwasher will still get dishes clean if it has an internal heater to finish heating the water to 140 degrees. If it doesn't have an internal heater, keep the water heater at 140 degrees.
When you go on vacation, turn the thermostat on the water heater off, or at least turn it down to its lowest possible setting. If your heater has a pilot light, make sure you know how to relight it when you get back.
Insulate your hot water pipes to reduce heat loss on the way to the tap. Put in heat traps or one-way valves in the pipes to cut loss, too.
Insulate the first 3 feet of cold-water pipe connected to water heaters, too.
Most water heaters live 10-15 years. If yours is in its Golden Years, have a plumber look at it and advise you on how much life it has left. If it is starting to go (or is just very inefficient) it may make sense to put it to sleep now and replace it with a more energy efficient water heater. Don't wait until it breaks on Christmas Eve and you have a houseful of guests. It takes longer than 20 minutes to sort through the many options and pick the best, most efficient water heater for your needs.
Special link: to see a cut away view of a water heater, with a detailed description of the way that it is designed and functions, click here.
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