Savings resulting from turning down your water heater temperature are based on reducing standby losses (heat lost from water heater into surrounding area). Set too high, or at 140ºF, your water heater can waste anywhere from $36 to $61 annually in standby heat losses.
Homeowners will find that by turning down their hot water tank temperature by about 20 degrees to 120 Fahrenheit or 48 Celsius, they will see cost savings of about 6 to 10 percent.
If you're looking for a short answer, it's 120 degrees Fahrenheit (about 49 degrees Celsius). Many water heaters are set to 140 degrees F per factory specifications, but lowering the temperature can lead to energy savings of 4% to 22%, and up to $400, according to the Department of Energy.
Most domestic storage hot water heaters in Australia are installed to store water at or above temperatures of 65°C. Under the Australian Standard AS/NZS 3500.4, heated water must be stored at a minimum temperature of 60°C, to inhibit the growth of Legionella bacteria.
Moreover, water should reach the tap at a temperature of at least 50°C. Taps in these buildings, especially in the bath or shower where most scalds occur, should be equipped with antiscald devices to decrease the water temperature to 49°C or less.
Manufacturers typically choose a temp to set water heaters between 120-140°F. To prevent scalding and save on energy costs 120 degrees is the recommended temperature, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends setting it to at least 122 degrees to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
The cheapest way to use an immersion is to put it on about an hour before you need it. Make sure your immersion heater wall switch has a thermostatic control which switches it off when it gets to the right temperature or a boost button that will switch off after 1 hour.
Usually natural gas is the cheapest way to heat water, followed by electricity, with propane being the most expensive.
To determine water heater capacity, the 70% rule is used. When the thermostat is set to 120℉, in theory, the system should deliver 70% of tank volume when the temperature is set between 100℉ and 120℉. This means if you have a 30-gallon hot water heater tank, you should get 21 gallons of hot water in the first hour.
Set too high, or at 140ºF, your water heater can waste anywhere from $36 to $61 annually in standby heat losses. Additional savings will be realized by the lower temperature for consumption (from water demand or use in your home, such as clothes washing, showers, and dishwashing). These may amount to more than $400.
Generally speaking, a gas water heater should not be turned off unless you are leaving the house for an extended period of time. Even then the better choice for gas water heaters is to just turn the temperature down. In fact, many water heaters have a “vacation” setting on the temperature control.
Unless you're going to be in your home for the life of the water heater, you don't want to downsize, as this may be a detracting factor to potential buyers. These days though, your water heater has a much shorter life span than it used to. In the past, water heaters lasted 30 years and came with a five-year warranty.
Electric hot water systems are the cheapest to buy but the most expensive to run. If you have an existing electric hot water system, you should consider taking advantage of the government incentives available to upgrade to efficient heat-pump options.
One of the easiest ways to make a hot shower last longer is by using less hot water while it's at a higher temperature. To do this, turn up the temperature on the thermostat that's attached to the hot water heater tank. (Not the thermostat on the wall.) Use a low-flow shower head.
Repeatedly boiling a kettle wastes time and energy but is better for low usage. In comparison, a hot water dispenser is a far more energy-efficient and cost-effective way to get near-boiling water over an extended period and is a much better option for staff numbers of 10+.
Typically, a hot water heater that uses a tank will run for three to five hours per day. So, a 4,000-watt heater used for three hours a day at $. 10 per kWh will cost $1.20 per day, about $36.50 per month, or $438 per year.
Pete's professional advice on replacing your water heater is as follows: “If you are only getting 5-7 minutes of hot water for showers, and you can't fill the tub up with hot water, then it's likely the dip tube in your hot water tank that needs replacement.
The ideal hot water temperature is around 45 degrees Celsius maximum.
40 degrees Celsius isn't considered a cold wash or a hot wash. It is actually straight down the middle – a warm wash. And it's ideal for a lot of your laundry. As with anything, there are pros and cons to washing your clothes, towels, or bedding at 40 degrees.
Because a hot water temperature over 46° (ideally 60+) should ensure legionella bacteria – the cause of Legionnaires' Disease – do not survive,. But anything over 70° is wasting money in #gas and #electricity #energy #fuel bills, creates unnecessary #carbon and can cause painful scalding – particularly for children.
An electric water heater timer is a small device that attaches to your current water heater. It can be programmed to keep your tank off during your known or expected periods of non-use, or when power is more expensive, saving you money and reducing your energy usage.
In the average home, the water heater will run for about three hours each day. Total run time can range from one to two hours for new tankless water heaters to five or more hours for older tank style water heaters.