The US department of Energy has come out with a number of suggestion, that ensure energy efficient water heating and lower your water heating bills.
The suggestions are :

* Cut your hot water use
* Lower your water heating temperature

* Insulate your water heater tank

* Install hot water pipes

* install heat traps on water heater tank

* install a timer and use off-peak power of an electric water heater

* Install a drain-water heat recovery system

You can lower your water heating costs by using and wasting less hot water in your home. To conserve hot water, you can fix leaks, install low-flow fixtures, and purchase an energy-efficient dishwasher and clothes washer.

Lower your water heating temperature

Reduce your water heating costs by simply lowering the thermostat setting on your water heater. For each 10ºF reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3%–5% in energy costs.

Insulate your water heater tank

Unless your water heater's storage tank already has a high R-value of insulation (at least R-24), adding insulation to it can reduce standby heat losses by 25%–45%. This will save you around 4%–9% in water heating costs.

Install hot water pipes

Insulating your hot water pipes reduces heat loss and can raise water temperature 2ºF–4ºF hotter than uninsulated pipes can deliver, allowing for a lower water temperature setting.

Install heat traps on water heater tank

If your storage water heater doesn't have heat traps, you can save energy by adding them to your water heating system. They can save you around $15–$30 on your water heating bill by preventing convective heat losses through the inlet and outlet pipes.

install a timer and use off-peak power of an electric water heater

If you have an electric water heater, you can save an additional 5%–12% of energy by installing a timer that turns it off at night when you don't use hot water and/or during your utility's peak demand times.

Install a drain-water heat recovery system

Any hot water that goes down the drain carries away energy with it. That's typically 80–90% of the energy used to heat water in a home. Drain-water (or greywater) heat recovery systems capture this energy to preheat cold
water entering the water heater or going to other water fixtures.

Using water heaters enables you to achieve energy efficiency and save on your monthly bills.

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Filed under: Tankless Water Heaters

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