How to Use a Water Heater Without Wasting Electricity
If you have an electric water heater at home, learn to use it carefully, as it's a real energy guzzler. According to Legambiente's calculations, a family heating water with a 1.000-watt electric water heater running for six hours a day consumes approximately 2.000 kWh of energy per year, equivalent to approximately eight times the energy consumption of a 300-liter Class A refrigerator running 24 hours a day. When installing it, make sure the installers are experienced and follow UNI-CIG safety regulations. And make sure it's not oversized (as is often the case): to heat a certain amount of water to the same temperature, it would consume significantly more gas!
Here are some rules to follow:
- In winter la right temperature must not exceed 60 degrees.
- In summer, 40 degrees is enough. Anything more is just a waste.
- For a family of four the water heater can guarantee the necessary hot water consumption turning it on only at night, when electricity costs less. You can also equip yourself with a timer, which allows you to program the device to turn on 3 or 4 hours before it's expected to be used, ensuring you always have hot water available when you need it. These devices are easy to install and inexpensive. For smaller boiler models, you might even consider doing without a timer, considering that in these cases, heating times generally don't exceed a few dozen minutes.
ALSO READ: How to save money and avoid wasting money on bills, gas, and groceries
- It's important position the water heater Install the heater correctly, choosing a location not too far from most of the appliances and systems it will serve (bathtub, washing machine, etc.): hot water loses heat as it flows through the pipes, so the longer it travels, the greater the energy waste. Pay attention to thermal insulation: it's best to avoid installing the heater next to a window or on a particularly cold or damp wall.
- The amount of electricity consumed by a boiler depends directly on the family's water consumption. Consequently, avoiding wasting hot water also helps reduce your electricity bill. Therefore, it's best to always choose showers over baths (a bathtub requires about 80 liters, while a shower requires 25 liters) and install flow reducers on all faucets, which, for a mere few euros, can reduce water consumption by up to 40%. It's essential to always keep your water heater in good working order, and never neglect regular maintenance.
- Apply a time switch (on the electrical outlet), leaving it on only at night. You'll save on your bill and still have hot water throughout the day. Furthermore, electricity consumed at night is a little less valuable because it's still produced by large power plants that can't be turned off, and therefore is often wasted.
- Prefer it two small ones, instead of one large one. Maybe one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen. It will be enough for the water you need and won't overheat.
HOW TO SAVE MONEY WITH YOUR WATER HEATER
Other important things to save with the water heater are:
- Maintain constant temperature
- Turn off the water heater when it is not in use
- Perform regular maintenance on your appliance
- Install a time switch, especially if you live in a small family
- Install flow reducers on taps
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