With the rate at which technology is developing, home appliances are getting more efficient daily.
Energy efficiency is one of the first things people consider when purchasing a new appliance, especially for appliances like water heating systems. This is because to heat water, water heating conventionally uses a lot of energy.
You can choose different hot water heaters that suit your budget and lifestyle. You can choose from the following:
- gas hot water system
- solar hot water system
- electric water heaters
- continuous flow water heaters
- water heat pumps
If you’re wondering how to reduce your consumption, the first step is understanding how much energy such appliances consume for heating water. And this highly informative guide will help you do just that. So, let’s begin!
Electricity Consumption Of A Water Heater
Multiple variables determine the amount of energy that your water heater uses. These include its size and age, type, operating temperature, water consumed daily, and more.
You can use this basic formula to calculate how much energy is used. Multiply the hours for which the heater is active by the price paid per kWh and the number of watts used. Then divide the product by 1000.
Gas Consumption Of A Water Heater
Water heaters that use gas are affected by the same factors that affect electrically powered options or electric water heaters. You can use the same formula to estimate the cost of running a gas hot water heater. Just replace the watt-hours with joules per hour.
The Operating Costs Of Electric And Gas Powered Water Heaters
Gas-powered water heaters are generally more efficient than electric ones due to the lower natural gas prices. While the above formula can help you determine the cost, this can be further refined by including other variables.
For instance, the amount of gas your water heater uses depends upon its EF or Energy Factor rating, and a higher rating indicates greater efficiency. The most efficient water heaters usually have a rating of around 0.67. So, always use alternative power sources, like solar hot water or heat pump water heaters. A heat pump can be three and a half times more efficient than a conventional ‘kettle-style’ electric heater. For gas, instantaneous and gas-boosted solar water heaters, the running costs and greenhouse emissions take the electricity use into account.
Power Consumption Of Tankless Water Heaters
Since tankless water heaters do not need to store hot water, they consume less power than conventional water heaters. However, this will ultimately depend upon the hours the heater is used, and in most cases, such use is limited to two hours a day.
This makes them about 24-34% more efficient than tank-based ones in households using 155 litres or less water. Similarly, they are 8-14% more efficient in homes using 325 litres. However, purchasing and installing such systems is costlier than tank-based ones and may require replacing your home’s wiring.
Ways To Reduce Your Electricity Bill
Whether you use a gas or electricity-powered water heater, here are some ways to reduce your electricity bills.
1. Lowering The Thermostat
The thermostat of most water heaters is generally set to 60 degrees, but lowering it to 50 degrees can provide enough hot water while reducing the risk of scalding.
2. Reducing Your Shower Time
Reducing the time you spend in the shower won’t only help save water, but it is another effective method that can help lower your energy use. Also, you can turn off the shower while soaping up and turn it on again while rinsing.
3. Installing Low-flow Shower Heads And Faucets
There are different types of taps for your kitchen and bathroom. If you install low-flow showers and faucets, the water flowing through these fixtures will be reduced, thus lowering the heat required.
4. Insulating The Tank
An insulating blanket can help prevent heat loss from the water tank, reducing the heat required to warm the water again.
5. Selecting The Right Tank Size
Determine how much water your family needs and select a tank size accordingly. The tank should be able to hold enough water to meet everyone’s needs but not so large that much of the energy required for heating the water is wasted.
Choose Your Water Heating System Wisely
The energy consumption of different types of water heaters can vary significantly, depending upon their source, the model of the heater, and various other factors. But with the formula provided above, you can calculate this easily.
Before deciding what type of water heating system you want to install in your home, calculate the cost of a hot water system. When considering the overall cost, make sure to take into account the cost of installation and regular maintenance. This is because specific models, such as solar or gas-powered, result in more significant energy savings but are expensive to purchase and install.
Check out our hot water system services at Fixed Today to help you make an informed decision. We’ve worked on different brands and water heating models, and our highly skilled team can install, repair and perform regular general maintenance on your hot water heater unit.
With that said, we shall be concluding this guide. Goodbye!
