Use Energy Wisely Hot Water Systems

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Energy Savings

Hot Water Systems- Energy Management

Hot water system is the second high energy consumption area in residential energy use. Electric hot water service units made since 1999 lose 30% less heat because of Minimum Energy Performance Standards. To reduce our contribution towards environment, we may take simple steps to wise use our hot water. Some of the issue which may help us in reduce energy usage are:

Use less hot water

Showers are the biggest user of hot water in most homes.

Install a 3 star rated water-efficient showerhead and save more than half a tonne of greenhouse gas each year if you have an electric hot water service. They will also save many dollars in hot water bills and pay for themselves very quickly.

Take shorter showers:

you’ll save up to half a kilogram of greenhouse gas for every minute.

Avoid using small amounts of hot water if cold water will do.

Each time you turn on the hot water tap, a litre or more of cold water that had been heated but has cooled in the pipes runs down the sink before hot water is delivered. Doing this just 10 times a day will generate about 200 kilograms of greenhouse gas each year if you have electric hot water.

Avoid rinsing dishes under running hot water: it uses far more hot water than putting the plug in and using some water in the sink—and often the job can be done by scraping or rinsing with cold water.
If you’re going away for more than a few days, switch off your hot water systems and save 1.4 kilograms per day you are away.

Capture heat before it is lost
Reduce heat losses from an electric storage heater by wrapping the tank with extra

insulation: save up to half a tonne of greenhouse gas each year.

An insulated outdoor unit will need to be protected from the weather.

Fix dripping hot taps:
If the overflow pipe from a hot water service dumps more than a bucket of water each day, call a plumber and save hundreds of kilograms of greenhouse gas each year.
When using a mixer tap for cold water, position the lever as far right as possible. Otherwise you will be wasting hot water, as most mixer taps begin blending hot water with cold as soon as they are moved from the ‘hard right’ position.
If you have gas hot water, you save about one third of the amounts of greenhouse gas quoted above, which apply to electric hot water. Solar water heating can generate even lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Design for water and energy efficiency
When installing a hot water service, position it so that pipes to outlets used a lot are as short as possible. This will minimise water, energy and time. Long pipes can waste thousands of litres of water and half a tonne of greenhouse gas each year.
Avoid installing a continuously circulating hot water pipe loop. They waste large amounts of heat and cost a lot to run. If long pipes can’t be avoided, investigate the use of ‘on-demand’ pumps.
Ensure exposed hot water pipes are well insulated, with insulation at least 10 millimetres thick.

Which hot water service should you buy?
The following chart shows comparison of various hot water systems and their carbon emissions for the same value of hot water generated. If you are planning to change your hot water system, please select the most appropriate one having lowest carbon footprint.