Hot water is good for a lot of things but saving money on your power bill isn’t one of them. In fact, hot water consumption takes up 30% of your power bill. Thankfully there are heaps of ways to be a bit more considered about how you use hot water and make some sweet savings in the process.
Showers typically use about half the amount of water that baths do, but they still use approximately 15L of water per minute! Keep your shower time down to five minutes or less by using a timer. Or if you’re the type who enjoys a tune while you get clean, find a song that’s the right length and scrub-a-dub-dub to the beat.
When it comes to doing chores around the house, switch the hot water for cold. Rinsing dishes can easily be done with cold water, as can your washing. In fact, when it comes to the washing machine, you can save over $70 a year using cold water! There’s an added bonus too - cold water is not only better for delicate fabric, it also keeps natural fibres like wool and cotton from shrinking.
A super easy way to save money on hot water is by simply putting the plug in the sink. Whether your washing your face, having a shave or doing the dishes, filling up the sink is definitely effective. You can find plugs in most hardware stores and supermarkets. And, if you aren’t a fan of the floaty bits in the dishes, a pair of dish gloves will sort you right out.
Did you know that energy is lost from hot water storage even when hot water isn’t being used?
Regardless of whether you have a new cylinder, or one that pre-dates 2002, all of them can benefit from a cylinder wrap which can save you up to 1 kWh/day! You should also insulate the first metre of pipe coming off your cylinder. Both the pipe insulation and wrap is easy to get and cheap as chips too.
It’s said that if your shower fills a 10L bucket in less that a minute then your shower is probably wasting water. You can install a flow restrictor on your current shower head or install a new efficient shower head. These can save you approximately 50L of water for each six-minute shower! When you’re doing your research, make sure to check the WELS label to find the most efficient one. Reducing your water flow to 9L per minute won’t affect your shower pressure and you’ll reduce your water heating bill too!
The temperature of the water should sit at 60°C in the cylinder or 55°C coming out of the tap. If it’s any higher it’ll be wasting power, and you run the risk of burns. Check the temperature of the tap water regularly and if it’s too hot, make sure to adjust. Some cylinders have a thermostat you can adjust, but others you may need to call in the local sparky to help out.
Here’s a few practical tips and tools to help you save power around the house.
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