It's better to leave the hot water heater on all the time, rather than turning it on and off. This is a very common energy saving myth. But in fact, you really don't need to be
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.
It is cheaper to only put it on when needed. The reason for this is that the amount of electricity required to heat the water depends on how quickly the heat leaves the tank. Some will leave whenever you use the water, but some also leaves by getting out through the insulation.
If your water heater is older, it's likely that its functionality has diminished over time. The age of a water heater is one of the most common reasons for it to constantly run. At this point, repairs are unlikely to correct the issue and it is best to replace the system.
It depends on how much hot water you are using and when. It can be more economic to keep it on constant. It takes longer to heat a full tank of cold water than it does to heat the water as it's used. If it's on constant then it'll not fire up unless it needs to. 'Constant' is a bit of a misleading term.
Many homeowners ask us if they should turn off their water heater between uses to save money. Our professional answer after crunching the numbers? No, unless you're going on vacation for a month or longer, you shouldn't turn off your water heater.
A modern combi-boiler, which provides instant hot water, is generally considered to be more energy efficient than a 'stored' hot water system. It heats the water you need to use rather than heating a large tank of water that might not be used and then left to cool down again.
- For a storage water heater, it is sufficient to switch it on for 10-30 minutes before showering. - Leaving a storage water heater switched on for the entire day may cost you an additional $124 a year*.
Does Putting a Timer on a Hot Water Heater Save Money? Yes, in most cases, you will begin to see savings on your first monthly utility bill. Most households can expect to save around $300 per year once they install a water heater timer.
Is it OK for the water heater tank to be running all the time, or will that lead to you needing water heater repairs in Denver down the road? In most instances, the answer to our last question is no. If your water heater is constantly running, there is probably a problem.
Turning your water heater off completely when it's not in use can help you save a small amount of money each month on your energy bills, but the hassle of manually turning your unit off and on typically outweighs the benefits.
Try an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening; if you don't run out of hot water, then that's enough – no need to spend more money than you have to!
Water Heater Temperature Recommendations
120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding, but 140° is the common default setting.
The very obvious effect is it will lead to higher electricity bills and greater energy usage. The water heater continuously utilises electricity to heat the water even when it is not needed because geysers are designed to supply hot water on demand.
Common sense tells you the water heater doesn't use electricity when it's shut off so clearly you can save money. The energy experts say it's about $1.36 a day. The question you have to answer is whether it's worth it because there are some inherent problems with turning a water heater on and off.
It's better to leave the hot water heater on all the time, rather than turning it on and off. This is a very common energy saving myth. But in fact, you really don't need to be heating your water all the time. Your immersion heater or boiler will heat up hot water which is stored in a tank.
Sediment can build up over time in a water heater, shortening its lifespan. To prevent this, you should flush your water heater at least once per year. Flushing will help to remove any sediment that has built up and improve the efficiency of your water heater.
Set Your Timer
As you can see, it makes little sense to leave your water heater on all the time. Why pay for the energy required to warm the water while you are asleep, or while the family is out at work and school? Instead, use your timer so that you always have access to plenty of hot water when you need it most.
If a water heater is left on for an extended period, it can lead to unnecessary energy consumption and increased electricity bills.
Turning off the water heater at night is therefore not advantageous, since the energy required to heat the water when the appliance is reactivated cancels out the minimal savings that could have been achieved. There's no monetary advantage to turning off the water heater at night.
Customers ask us all the time, “should I turn off my water heater if I have already turned off the main water supply?” There is no set answer to this.
Try heating the water for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. Start the water heating about an hour before you need it. For example, if you shower at 08:30, start heating the water at 07:30. If you wash up in the evening at 19:30, then start the water heating at 18:30.
Temperature Is Too High
The most obvious reason for a high water heater gas bill is if the temperature is set too high. According to experts, most homeowners should keep water heater temperatures between 120 and 140 degrees F.