Hot water is an essential component of every household. Choosing between the different types of water heaters depends on your consumption volume and availability of different sources of energy. Approximately 15 percent of energy costs can be attributed to water heating in some Ontario homes, largely due to the freezing climate. For households looking to find ways of cutting down on energy bills, here are three tips for reducing your water heating costs:
Water leaks can increase your water bills significantly and can translate into large amounts of wasted water if you have multiple leakages in different areas. Look at and repair affected shower heads, pipes and faucets to prevent further leakage.
Replace your old heater
If your water heater has a flow rate exceeding 10 litres per minute, consider replacing it with a new one with a lower flow rate. If you use less hot water, you spend less on energy bills and vice versa. Using tankless water heaters consumes less energy compared to use of traditional heating tanks. If however your hot water consumption is high, you may consider insulated tank-type heaters to reduce heat loss.
What faucet are you using?
Low-flow faucets can help lower your utility bills significantly. Kitchen appliances have aerators that have different flow rates as those of shower heads. You should test your aerators to determine this rate. This ensures you don’t waste water while washing utensils or bathing. An ideal rate for kitchen aerators is 8.3 litres per minute or less while the one for shower heads is 3.7 litres or less.