Energy Savings Tips
Hot Water
Water heating is the second largest energy user in the average home. You can insulate pipes, use water saving technologies and take some easy, no-cost measures.
Water Saving Technologies
- Using a low flow showerhead saves up to 15% of your home's water use.
- Using faucet aerators can save up to 40% of the water used for hand washing. Leaky faucets can waste up to 13,000 litres of water per year per household.
Insulate to Save
- By setting the thermostat back when you are not home or overnight, you can save 5 to 10% on your annual energy bill.
- Insulate your hot water pipes with pipe-wrap or foam.
- insulate the first three feet of the hot water pipe leading from the hot water tank.
- insulate hot water pipes that run through unheated areas of your home.
- Wrapping your older electric hot water tank with an insulating blanket can save up to 9% on your standby water heating costs
- check with your gas utility for advice on what types of blankets are safe to use on gas or propane-fired water heaters. Be careful not to cover any venting areas on gas hot water tanks.
Recommended Temperature Settings:
- Electric water heater 60°C (140°F)
- Gas water heater 55°C (130°F)
No-Cost Tips
- Take short showers rather than baths. A five minute shower uses about half as much water as a bath.
- Run your dishwasher and laundry appliances with full loads.
- Wash laundry with cold water whenever possible.
- Turn off taps completely. A dripping tap wastes a surprising amount of water as well as, for hot water, the energy used to heat it. Repair any leaky faucets.
- Use only cold water when running a garbage disposal. This saves hot water and solidifies grease, which is then ground up and washed down the drain.
This page last updated 2012-02-06.
