Few inconveniences are more aggravating than running out of water in the middle of a shower, or constant strategizing to ensure that every appliance that needs hot water actually gets it. A sure way to avoid these types of situations is to improve the performance of your water heater. Fortunately, a variety of simple tips can show you how to improve the availability and consistency of your hot water.
The best place to start is the immediate surrounding environment. Many homes have the storage-tank water heater in the basement, laundry room or in the corner of a closet. If it’s located in an area that’s consistently cold or drafty, you are forcing it to work harder than it should. To boost the performance of your water heater, do some simple preventive maintenance to improve its surrounding environment.
If altering the surrounding environment isn’t a practical option you could also insulate the water heater directly. A variety of blankets or jackets are designed for insulating a storage-tank water heater. This reduces standby heat loss, the main disadvantage of storage-tank water heaters. Not only will your appliance perform better when you’re using it, but it also takes less energy to maintain the water temperature after it has been heated.
Another way to improve the performance of your water-heating system is by making the pipes that carry your water more efficient. A majority of the heat lost as hot water is transferred to your faucet happens in the first six feet of piping. A majority of homes have at least three feet of exposed hot water pipe that you can easily insulate without any type of renovation. Before purchasing insulation, measure the diameter of your water pipes to ensure your insulation provides a snug fit.
For more expert advice about improving the performance of your water heater and other issues that may be affecting your home comfort, please contact us at Ernst Heating & Cooling. We’ve been serving the Metro-East area since we installed our first furnace in 1954.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Hamel, Illinois and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about hot water heaters and other HVAC topics, visit our blog.Â
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