Electric Heating Systems

Modifying the water heater temperature can actually be used in order to save energy. Water heaters are known to be the most energy-consuming appliances in your home, and you can be spending up to $400 in electric fees annually just through the use of water heaters alone!

There are several ways for you to save up on energy, and consequently lessen the amount on your utility bills. Among these is purchasing a water heater timer or insulating materials. If you are not ready to dip into your pockets, there is also an easy way to minimize your water heater energy consumption. Just change the water heater temperature.

How does this work?

By simply lowering the thermostat setting on your water heater, you can save critical amounts of energy. For every 10 degrees Fahrenheit reduction in water temperature, you can save up to 5% of energy.

Did you know?

Some manufacturers calibrate water heater thermostats at 140 degrees Fahrenheit even when the average household only requires a water heater temperature setting of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If you lower your temperature setting by 20 degrees Fahrenheit, you can be saving up to 10% of energy. Using 140 degrees Fahrenheit as your temperature setting can also pose some serious risks and hazards, such as scalding.

Lowering your water temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit can also delay the process of corrosion and mineral buildup in your water heater and pipes. This contributes in making your water heater last longer and function at its optimal efficiency.

How do I operate the thermostat?

You can refer to the instructions found in your water heater manuals as to how the thermostat is operated. Usually, the thermostat dial for a gas storage water heater is located near the bottom of the tank of the gas valve. For electric water heaters though, thermostats can be found behind screw-on panels or plates. Remember that before opening the panels, make sure to shut off the electricity to the water heater. This is to prevent you from getting electrocuted. An electric water heater may also have two thermostats - one for the upper and lower heating elements.

After locating the thermostat and adjusting it to a lower water temperature, take note of the beginning temperature and the adjusted temperature displayed on the thermostat dial. This will serve as your future reference. Afterwards, proceed to checking the water temperature at the tap farthest from the water heater if the temperature has indeed dropped according to your specifications. Most thermostat dials are inaccurate so you might need to perform several adjustments before you finally get the right temperature.

Miscellaneous Tips on Using your Water Heater

If you plan to be away from home for several days, turn the thermostat down to its lowest setting or completely turn off your water heater. You can switch it off by turning off the circuit breaker to it.

For dishwashers without a booster heater, use water temperature with the range of 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit for maximum cleaning.

As a whole, if you want to cut back on electricity costs, but you're not ready to invest in water heater timers and insulating materials, you can do so by simply lowering down the water heater temperature setting.

Find the best offers on water heater timer. Compare water heater prices online.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/save-energy-and-money-through-modifying-water-heater-temperature-393946.html

Do you feel frustrated every time, when you take a shower and the hot water runs out? And your energy bills are huge? Then it is possible that you need to look for new water heaters. An instant water heater can solve both problems for you.

Advantages of instant water heaters

An instant tankless heater has several advantages when compared to a conventional water heater:

It saves you energy

It heats water as you use it, as much as you use it and never runs out

It takes very little space

Common water heater usually has a tank that holds 40 to 80 gallons of water, keeping it hot at all times, day and night. As you use the hot water for showers, doing dishes and so on, it is replaced with cold water and heated. When you are not using hot water and even when you are not home all together, hot water just sits in the tank and as it waits to be used it loses the temperature. So the heater reheats water in your tank every now and then. This means loss of energy for you.

Instant water heaters don't have a tank. For this reason they are also called tankless water heaters. As soon as you turn on hot water the unit turns on and heats the water, typically at 125 degrees Fahrenheit. So this type of heater doesn't use energy until the faucet is turned on. It produces hot water instantly and if that temperature is too hot for you simply regulate it by turning on the cold water. When you are finished and turn hot water off, the instant water heater shuts down straight away, using no energy. This can cut your energy bill almost by 50% every month.

Energy is not the only thing you save, a tankless heater will also save you water. You know how you always have to let the cold water run first, before the hot comes out? With an instant tankless water heater the water is hot from the start, so there is no need to run the water to before it turns hot.

When room is a consideration, a tankless heater also offers a solution. Comparable to a traditional 40-60 gallon water tank, an instant unit is very small. It can be easily installed in a small home or apartment.

Industrial instant water heaters

While tankless heaters are most used in residential homes, great energy savings lead to their commercial use as well. And more water you use more you save, for example a house using 120 gallons of water a day with a 40-gallon hot water tank typically spends $112.25 per month on heating water. For the same usage, an instant tankless water heater will cost you only about $26.95 per month.

Cost of instant tankless water heater

Initial cost is the main disadvantage of a tankless heater. It costs much more than the conventional one. But as you can see, the energy savings will compensate for this very soon, probably in the first 6-8 month of using your new heater. And if the cost is a concern, look for discounted instant water heaters online. With internet retailers you can always get your tankless heater cheaper.

Buying a tankless water heater

You can get instant heaters from same stores that sell other types of water heaters. As their popularity has grown recently, you will not have any problems finding a decent instant water heater. Another option is too look online. Sometimes you can save quite a lot by buying a water heater from internet retailers.

For more information and price comparison of instant water heaters check Heaters Guide . We provide buying tips for all types of water heaters.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/instant-water-heater-what-are-the-benefits-155663.html

If you are replacing the old water heater with a new unit that is similar to the old one, you will not find it very difficult to replace it. Moreover, if you follow the steps below, it will certainly make your task much easier.

- Shut off the water supply

- If you have a gas heater, shut off the gas supply, or if you have an electric heater, turn off the power supply.

- The next step is to drain the water from the tank. If you do not have a floor drain underneath the valve, you can connect a hose to the drain valve, near the base of the tank. Run it to a nearby drain or outdoors, and then open the valve.

- Unscrew the inlet and outlet fittings from the top of the tank, using two wrenches.

- If you have a gas water heater, turn off the gas inlet valve. Disconnect the union or flare fitting between the gas supply pipe and the inlet valve. You can use two wrenches to disconnect the same. You will also find a flue hat at the top of the tank. It expels gases into the flue. Remove this flue hat as well.

- Remove the old water heater.

- Set the new water heater carefully in place so that the burner and controls are accessible. Make sure that there is at least six inches of clearance around its perimeter, and it is away from any flammable materials.

- It is better if you fill the base with pieces of asphalt shingles or plastic wedges.

- Wrap the threads of the heat trap fittings with pipe-wrap tape.

- Connect blue thread of the fittings into the cold water inlet of the water heater, and red into the hot water outlet.

- Be careful while connecting the same. Make sure that the arrows are marked on the fittings point in the water flow direction.

- On the inlet and outlet pipes of water heater install the new flexible connectors.

- Make sure that all connections are complete.

- Open the shutoff wall and fill the tank.

- Open a few hot-water faucets so that the air in the pipes should bleed off.

- Now assemble the gas pipes per the manufacturer's instruction.

- Brush soapy water on all the connections, and carefully watch it should not produce any bubbles. If it does, recheck the connection once again.

Some Other Handy Tips

- Check with your local building department and confirm whether your home is in an earthquake zone. Install straps around the new water heater.

- If the height of the new tank is different from the old one, you will have to use flexible pipe connectors for the water inlet and outlet. This will make them able to bend whenever it is needed to make the hookup.

In case the pipes are not threaded, replace them with threaded nipples. Use an adjustable wrench to adjust the connectors to the nipples.

Hence, if you follow the above steps and the tips, you will find it very simple to replace a water heater.

Source: Free Articles

Author: askafriend

There has been a lot of talk recently about how we all need to do our part to make our world a greener place to live in. A great way to start pitching in is by simply making a few changes right in your own home. Changing out your old hot water heater for a newer more efficient version is both simple, eco-friendly, and goes a long way towards helping our environment.

Older electric water heaters consume larger amounts of energy than either their natural gas or oil fired counterparts. More energy usage creates a higher demand on our local power plants. Studies show that a typical family of four using a traditional electric water heater over the course of one year, uses enough energy to cause a typical power plant to emit about eight tons of carbon dioxide into our air. This is almost double the carbon dioxide fumes emitted by a typical family automobile. A family of four using a natural gas or oil fired water heater over the same period of time will only contribute around two tons of carbon dioxide into the air. By switching from your old electric water heater you can save energy, utility costs, and the air we breathe.

Solar water heaters are also a good choice. Several homes have sufficient access to sunlight to have a solar water heater installed with no problems. They can also work in all climates.

Solar water heaters also offer some financial benefits. Although the initial cost is more, between $1500.00 and $3500.00 for a solar water heater versus $150.00 and $450.00 for an electric or gas water heater, you will immediately see the savings in your electric or natural gas bills. The amount you will save in energy bills will pay for the new solar water heater on average in four to eight years.

Solar water heaters last just as long as more conventional water heaters, on average 15-40 years. After the initial time it takes for your solar system to pay for itself, paying zero in energy costs virtually means free hot water for you and your family. More savings can be found by checking with your tax consultant. Starting in 2005 the US government began offering homeowners up to 30% tax credit off the cost of installing their new solar powered water heater. Restrictions do apply, so be sure to check with you tax professional for details.

If you decide that installing a solar water heater is right for you and your family, be sure to hire a qualified professional to help you with this project. Certified installers will be familiar with any zoning and building codes in your area as well as if you will need a building permit for installation. For help finding a professional in your area, check with Five Star Consumer Referrals, Inc.

Shannon Shimizu is a small business owner of a contracting referral service called Five Star Consumer Referrals, Inc. The Five Star vision grew out of frustration of not knowing any reliable contractors for home improvement and repair projects. The goal of the business was to supply homeowners with excellent contractors who were licensed, insured, bonded and whose references were checked. Homeowners were thrilled with the prospect of having an outside third party who had a vested interest in the outcome of their home improvement project, and contractors were very happy to have a generous source of qualified leads.

In addition to running her business, Shannon is a wife and mother to two young children. Juggling motherhood and a full time business can be stressful, but the rewards of being able to work from home and raise her children is well worth the tradeoff.

For more information on Five Star Consumer Referrals, Inc. http://www.5starhelps.com

The source of nearly all of our energy is the sun. While we might use wind, oil, and rivers to help empower our world, all of those sources of energy are also made possible through the sun. Because it won't stop burning anytime soon, we can effectively consider it an infinite source of energy, and better yet, it's completely free for absolutely anyone to use. To get the biggest savings possible on your next energy bill, a passive solar water heater will use the sun's rays, saving you hundreds of dollars a year.

Just One Step to Protect the Environment

A passive solar water heater is certainly smart for the environmentalist, but it also makes sense for any home owner. It's estimated that ten percent of all home energy usage goes into water heating. If every conventional water heater was replaced with a passive solar water heater, the energy savings would be tremendous, saving at least 3-4% off the world's energy needs each year. While 3-4% doesn't sound too large, keep in mind that this could be just one step towards making the world energy independent. With other problems like water shortages shaping up to be the defining problems of the twenty-first century, we really don't have any time to spare.

Of course, there are other energy saving water heaters. Other popular versions include water heaters that heat water as it passes through instead of storing it in a large tank. After all, it doesn't make sense to heat water if you're not going to use it for hours and hours. However, a passive solar water heater ensures that you'll always have a large supply of hot water at your disposal, so it allows for some heavy usage that you'd otherwise be incapable of. The difference between active and passive solar water heaters is simple: active heaters use pumps to force hot air or liquid around, using electricity in the process, while passive heaters skip the pump and let the heated material move itself around, allowing for even larger energy savings in the process.

Fortunately if you want a solar water heater, you won't need to have somebody else install it for you. If you opt to build a solar water heater, you can save hundreds more dollars. Many do-it-yourself kits are available for purchase, and you can even build them from scratch (by buying the components separately). Building your very own passive solar water heater affords you even more versatility, so if you can do it yourself, that's the path you should definitely take.