Hot water heating can be one of the largest contributors to your household energy bill, in fact in most homes it’s second only to space heating and cooling.
So whether you’re a home owner, tenant or just responsible for the bills – then it’s probably in your best interests to make sure you’re getting the most out of your hot water and make sure it’s not setting you up for any surprise costs.
To help, we put together six easy tips to make sure you’re hot water wise, and assist you in keeping those unexpected power bills under control…
- Wash wisely. Be sure to connect your washing machine to the cold water taps only, and whenever you can wash in cold water, always with a suitable detergent.
- Winter warm. Hot water systems work harder in winter to maintain set temperatures. So keep shower times short (try for no more than 4 minutes) and be sure to use a properly fitted heater in your bathroom while you’re naked to stop that after shower chill.
- Don’t be a drip. Immediately repair any dripping hot water taps and leaking appliances, including the relief valve from your water heater which can often be overlooked.
- Get the temperature right. Ensure that the temperature gauge on storage hot water systems is set at 60°C. A higher temperature than this means that energy is probably being used unnecessarily and a lower temperature than this may allow harmful bacteria to thrive.
- Insulate your pipes. That’s right. It might sound silly, but it’s good practice to ensure the first two meters of piping leading from your hot water system is insulated to prevent heat loss.
- Common sense. But when it comes to hot water, or any sort of electrical maintenance, always, always follow manufacturer instructions and if needed, call in a professional to help.