Get Better Performance from Your Propane Appliances, Part 2 of 4: Your Propane Water Heater

Your propane water heater is a workhorse in your Massachusetts home – and you pay for its labor to the tune of a about 20 percent of your monthly energy bill.

But you can chip away at that number with a little planning and some simple changes to your habits and lifestyle that can save you hundreds of dollars over the course of a year.

Here are five things you can do to reduce energy usage from your water heater:

1. Lower the default setting on your water heater thermostat – The heat setting on most water heaters is set higher than it needs to be – often as high as 140 degrees F or more (the EPA recommends a temperature setting of 115-120°). Drop the default temp and you’ll cut your bill.
2. Insulate your pipes – Heat is lost as water moves from the storage tank to the appliance – especially in the first 6 feet of pipe leaving the water heater. At minimum, insulate this length of pipe.
3. Insulate the storage tank – A conventional water heater (one with a storage tank) is subject to “standing heat loss” – heat that escapes from stored water as it waits to be used. An insulating jacket can minimize that loss (or you can eliminate it altogether by switching to a tankless propane water heater, which doesn’t store water at all).
4. Get routine maintenance – Annual service will keep your water heater (or any other appliance) running at peak efficiency – and running more reliably.
5. Use less hot water – Sounds obvious…the question is how? One simple way is to install low-flow showerheads and faucets, which can cut water usage in half with minimal difference in water pressure. You can also adopt better water conservation behaviors – like making sure to use the right load setting for your clothes washer, efficiently packing your dishwasher, and taking shorter showers.

To get even more value for your money, try switching all your appliances to high efficiency propane! Contact us today to find out how easy it is to make the switch!

Next week: Tips for your propane cooking range