Conserving energy with the water heater?

Question

I have a traditional water heater, which i usually turn on 30 minutes before i need it (which is about once a day), and turn it off right after i use it.

I'm wondering if this is the best way to be conservative with the hot water, or does it take a ton of energy to turn the heater on and off so much?

Answer 1

We save about $10/month on our gas bill by keeping the water just warm enough for a comfortable shower. I bet you are saving more than that. If you heat the water to only about 110 degress from say 70 once a day,  then you are not using nearly much energy as would be needed to keep the water at a constant 110.

Answer 2

if you go on vacation its a good idea to turn it off. depending on how well insulated your heater is will determine efficiency. if its low eff it will cycle on more than a high eff. if it is low eff, your idea is good. if it is high eff, it wont matter.cycling on is when they use energy.

Answer 3

You will use less energy if you leave it on. It takes twice as much energy to heat cold water

Answer 4

The short answer is that you won't waste energy turning it on and off, and you might save some.

If you want the long, rambling, not very clear details, they are as follows:

Your water heating element comes on for two reasons.  First, when you use hot water, cold water enters the water heater and the element comes on to heat it up.   Second, even when you don't use hot water, some heat slowly escapes from the water heater.  The heating element comes on in order to keep the water in the heater at whatever the setpoint is.

When you turn the water heater off, as you point out, the water cools down and you just need to heat it back up again.  Every bit of energy that escapes while the water cools down just needs to be made up again when you re-heat the water.

The way energy is saved is that the amount of heat that escapes out of your water heater (when you aren't using any hot water) is lower when the water temperature is lower.   In other words, it takes less energy for your water heater to STORE water at 70F than it does for it to store water at 120F (nevermind how much it takes to actually heat it up or down).

When you go on vacation and turn the water heater off, the water first cools down to room temperature (which is just energy you'll need to put back into the heater when you heat the water back up) and then it sits there and doesn't use any energy to keep the water warm.  This is where you save money.

Sorry if this explanation is long and rambling.  It's a bit tricky for me to explain.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Depending on how well insulated the water heater is you may save a little doing this, but not a bunch.

Answer 6

When your hot water heater goes out replace it with a tankless one.

He is one that is low cost and on my list.

Answer 7

Your water heater uses an element which is pretty much just a resistor, so it's either on or off, no spikes. Good for you. That's the kind of attention it takes. Every little bit counts. It may save only pocket change, but that adds up, too. Save up over a couple years and invest in an on-demand heater, or a geothermal or solar system (whatever's right for your place, assuming it's your place). Once again, good work.