Conveniently allowing you to get hot water instantly without waiting for it to heat up in a boiler, a tankless water heater can greatly raise your power consumption even if it has many benefits. Still, there are ways to cut power consumption without compromising comfort even with continuous running of a continuous-flow water heater. I will discuss in this post my experience of saving money using this gadget and provide you some doable advice on how to cut expenses.
Features of an electric instantaneous water heater
Understanding the reasons behind the popularity of electric tankless water heaters will help us appreciate the money-saving advice later on.
- Instant heating of water. Instant water heaters give hot water right away after turning on unlike storage water heaters, which need time to heat the water.
- Compaction. They can be placed practically anywhere, in the kitchen, bathroom or even utility room and occupy little space.
- Energy effectiveness. More reasonably than boilers that keep the tank’s water temperature constant, the water heater only consumes energy when it is in use.
One drawback of all the benefits, though, is great energy consumption, particularly if the water heater is run often. Still, there are several techniques that will cut power consumption.
Advice on energy saving using a tankless water heater
Choosing the suitable appliance power
Selecting a water heater model with the best power for your needs will help you later on. Power of most instantaneous water heaters ranges from 3 to 27 kW. The device heats the water faster the higher the power; nevertheless, it also consumes more energy.
I selected a model with a power of 7-8 kW, which without overloading the electrical network and without generating unneeded expenses supplies enough hot water for home needs. Choose a device with a lower power if your house does not need rapid heating of a big volume of water; this will greatly cut energy consumption.
Depending on need, use the water heater
The capacity of instantaneous water heaters to provide hot water just at the moment of usage is one of their main benefits. One should not misuse this advantage and avoid leaving the gadget running for more than required.
Turning off the water heater right after usage helps to save a lot of electricity. For instance, try not to spend too much time under hot water when showering or washing dishes; this will help to lower the running time of the water heater and lower energy consumption.
Perfect water temperature
Usually modern water heaters let you change the water temperature. One of the crucial actions to save is to set the water heater to a comfortable, but not too high, temperature since high temperatures call for more power.
Enough for a comfortable shower and house needs, I set the water heater to a temperature between 40 and 45°C. Maintaining the temperature at this level helps you to save money since heating water to higher degrees greatly increases the electricity use.
Utilize showerheads and energy-saving faucets
A straightforward and efficient approach to cut water usage and, hence, energy consumption is the energy-saving nozzles. Through aerating the flow, they lessen the water passing through the water heater. In this sense, you use less energy and obtain the appropriate hot water quantity.
Since it uses less water to get the same impact, installing these attachments on shower heads and faucets in my bathroom and kitchen has helped me to cut the time I use my water heater.
Routinely cleaning the water heater
An electric instantaneous water heater can develop mineral deposits and scale over time, so lowering its efficiency and raising its energy consumption. Regular maintenance and appliance cleaning help to keep the system free from overloading and maintain high degree of efficiency.
Doing preventative cleaning at least once a year has helped me to avoid more expensive heating costs resulting from lower efficiency.
Utilizing low rates of electricity
Many electric companies have different rates depending on the time of day. I started using the water heater mostly in the evening and morning hours, when rates of electricity are lower. Those who use the water heater to heat water for the bath or another scheduled regular need will particularly benefit from this.
Pipework insulation and building thermal insulation
Reducing heat loss in the pipes is crucial even when one uses a flow-through water heater. By insulating the pipes and rooms where hot water flows, one can help to preserve the water temperature and shorten the running time of the water heater.
After adding insulation to the pipes, I observed that the water held heat longer, which lowers the running time of the water heater and hence the energy consumption.
Outcomes and conclusions
My energy bills dropped noticeably once I started using these ideas in every day living. Even though an electric tankless water heater is heavily used, my energy expenses started to show more consistency and control.
Important findings:
- Using good habits and techniques has helped me lower my general energy consumption as well as the running times of my water heater.
- Efficiency and comfort. Saving on electricity has not reduced comfort levels. When needed, I still enjoy hot water; but, I use it more sensibly.
- Savings on a budget. Reducing my energy costs has let me allocate the savings to other expenses, which is a great advantage in daily life.
Thus, if used properly, an electric instantaneous water heater can be a reasonably cheap appliance. Without compromising comfort, little changes in daily use—such as installing energy-saving nozzles, changing the temperature and using low tariffs—help to greatly lower energy costs.
