Water Heater Tips and Updates
Electric Water Heater Maintenance
The plumbing experts at Herrmann Services have found that energy conservation provides opportunities to save money and to participate in a variety of green living initiatives. With minimal effort, your savings could add up really fast. Several recommendations might reduce your water heater’s energy use in Cincinnati. You may notice an improvement in the operational efficiency of your water heater as well. Here are two money-saving tips plus the latest scoop on the new federal standards on water heaters and their manufacturers.
Lower Your Water Heating Bill
Water heaters are equipped with an external temperature gauge. Manual settings may be adjusted to increase or to decrease the temperature of your hot water. Simply, reducing the temperature of your water heater by 10 degrees might enable you to save as much as five percent on your annual water heating costs. Lower energy bills might enable you to direct a portion of the savings into your bank account or toward a variety of home maintenance plans.
Drain Your Water Tank
During normal operating cycles, your water heater accumulates various amounts of debris. Sediment buildup may occur at the bottom of your hot water heater. Occasionally draining your hot water tank to remove the loose sediment could improve the overall efficiency of your unit. To drain your hot water heater, you should turn the valve that is near the bottom of your tank toward the left. Ensure that you direct the water and loose sediment toward a floor drain or a bucket.
Observe New Water Heater Standards
The Department of Energy has mandated that water heater manufacturers comply with a host of new federal regulations. As of April 16, 2015, manufacturers must be in compliance with the new water heater standards that are designed to save more energy and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. According to the US DOE website, the new standard will avoid about 172.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of about 33.8 million automobiles. While this won’t affect consumers greatly, it is expected to increase the price of the new water heaters which will be passed on to the homeowners.
Learning to care for your hot water heater could enable your unit to last longer. You can save money along the way too. For more information about hot water heaters or the new federal standards, call Herrmann Services at (513) 737-8423.