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water heaters part 1

By
Real Estate Agent with Andrew Lowell Broker 00898265

Water Heaters 101

If you are a new homeowner, you may not realize that your home's water heater uses the third largest amount of energy of all your household appliances. A water heater is crucial and in most cases you cannot reduce the amount of use that it gets. However, you can increase the efficiency of your current water heater or even replace it with a more efficient solution.

First, if you don't want to replace your current water heater, here are three things that you can do to increase the efficiency of your water heating.

  • Use less hot water. Consider taking warm showers instead of hot showers, and lower the temperature of your dishwasher.
  • Take shorter showers when possible, or install low-pressure shower heads. Many people incorrectly believe that baths use less water than showers. Four people showering for five minutes each, three times a week use almost 1,000 gallons of water every single week.
  • Insulate! Just as insulating your attic reduces heat loss through the roof, insulating your water heater keeps water hot for a longer period of time.
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

Hey, Andrew. I haven't heard of lowering the temperature of the dishwasher. Modern dishwashers have built-in thermostats to ensure that the water gets heated to 165°, I think it is, in order to kill harmful bacteria and germs. The correct thermostat setting for the water heater should be 120°, which usually is clearly marked on the water heater thermostat. That's why the dishwasher has its own internatl heater to heat the water up to 165°.

Best wishes for health, happiness, peace, and prosperity in 2009.

Dec 27, 2008 03:20 PM