- Lower the water heater thermostat to the lowest level that meets your hot water needs (midway between ‘low’ and ‘medium’ settings on many units). Each decrease by 5° C in water temperature can save you 5%.
- Showers save hot water – a typical bath uses approximately 75 litres of hot water, while a 5-minute shower with an efficient shower head will use about half of that.
- Install low-flow shower heads.
- When you are going to be out of town for an extended period of time, use the vacation setting or turn off your water heater.
- Leaky faucets can waste up to 95 liters of water per faucet per month.
- By installing aerators on kitchen faucets you can save water and energy.
- Drain a pail of water from your natural gas hot water tank every 3 months, or as recommended by the manufacturer, to remove sediment that prevents heat transfer, lowering the unit’s efficiency.
- Installing a special tank blanket onto your water heater can reduce its electricity use.
- For more energy savings, wrap your hot water pipes in pipe insulation to minimize the conduction of heat through the pipes so you can lower the temperature of the hot water tank.
- If you are building a new home, consider an on-demand water heater.
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