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Fast Fact: Insulate your water heater
In most homes, heating water stands among the top energy expenses, accounting for 13 percent of the utility bill. What can you do?
Because water is constantly being heated regardless of whether a hot water tap is actually running, a good portion of energy is wasted when heat is lost to the surrounding air, which is known as standby heat loss.
Insulating the water heater and accessible hot water pipes reduces energy losses by between 4 and 9 percent and keeps more than 300 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year.
Most hardware stores carry water heater insulation kits for about $20, a price that repays itself in energy savings in just a few months.
For a detailed how-to, visit the U.S. Department of Energy's Consumer Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.EERE
- Purchase the correct size water heater. Consider the hot water needs of your family. If your water heater is too large, you will waste energy; if it is too small, you will likely run out of hot water.
- Set water thermostat to 120 degrees. You can measure this by placing a thermometer in the flow of hot water at your kitchen or bathroom sink.
- If the doors to the closet that houses your hot water heater have louvers or grills, do not cover or set anything in front of them.
- Wrapping a fiberglass blanket around your electric water heater and securing it with duct tape, or installing a ready-made insulation kit can save up to 10% on water heating costs. Most new water heaters are already insulated, so this tip is most effective for electric water heaters that are more than five years old. Also, insulate hot water pipes to reduce heat loss as the hot water is flowing to your faucets.
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