WASHINGTON ENERGY EXTENSION SERVICE

HOT WATER CONSERVATION

Randy Acker
Illustrations by Sam McJunkin EY 6050 November 1984

Domestic water heating is a major contributor to a household's total energy

budget. In most houses water heating can consume as much energy as all the
other appliances combined. In superinsulated houses, where space heating re-
quirements are minimal, heating water is frequently the major energy user. On
the average, an American household uses 20 gallons of hot water per person per
day. Over the course of a year a family of four would use 29,200 gallons of
hot water. Depending on your cost of energy this can represent a major expense.

Many homeowners have responded to this

by looking at alternatives to conven-
tional water heaters such as solar,
wood-fired, or heat pump water heat-
ers. While each of these systems can
provide reliable, cost-effective
water heating, investing in such a
system should not be the first step in
reducing the cost of hot water. As in
any situation where you are looking to
reduce energy consumption, the place
to start is with conservation.

For most households, a 25% reduction

in energy used to heat water can
easily be achieved. Reductions of up
to 50% are possible. Efforts to re-
duce energy use should be directed
toward two basic areas: reducing
demand for hot water and, increasing
system efficiency. While these two
areas are closely related, and certainly the first affects the second, they
still offer very distinct options in terms of the actions you can take.

This factsheet describes those actions. One of the first things you will prob-
ably want to do is estimate your annual hot water consumption. This is espe-
cially true if you are contemplating the purchase of an alternative water
heating system. There is a work sheet on page 7 that shows you how to figure
this as well as your hot water costs. Next you should implement some, or all,
of the suggestions on the following pages. You will probably want to recal-
culate your hot water consumption after you have adopted conservation measures.

Washington Energy Extension Service is funded by U.S. Department of Energy and the
Bonneville Power Administration
Printing courtesy of Seattle City Light

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REDUCING DEMAND FOR HOT WATER
Reducing the household's demand for hot water simply means using, and therefore heat-
ing fewer gallons of hot water. This can be achieved by altering a few habits and
making some minimal changes in the plumbing system.
Shower vs. Bath
A typical bath takes 15 to 25 gallons of hot water. Depending on your water pressure,
a 5-minute shower under an older style shower head will consume about 10 to 15 gallons
of hot water. By taking shorter showers it is possible to realize significant energy
savings during the course of a year. A good way to compare the amount of water used
in a shower to that of a bath is to close the drain before showering. If your tub
is less full after a shower than it would have been after a bath, then you know you
can save hot water by showering. If it's just as full, or even fuller, you may want
to stick to baths or consider some additional changes. One thing that can be done is
to turn off the water while soaping up and then turn it on again for rinsing. Bear
in mind, though, that this requires a warm bathroom in order to remain comfortable.
Reducing Water Flow
There are three ways the amount of water flowing through a fixture can be reduced.
They include adding showerhead flow restrictors to existing fixtures, installing new
fixtures, or installing a pressure reduction valve for the entire plumbing system.
By far the simplest and least expensive measure you can take to reduce water flow is
to install showerhead flow restrictors. These small devices are usually made of metal
or plastic, and require only a wrench for installation (Figure 1). They fit most of
the showerheads commonly in use and can cut the water used in a shower by up to 50%.
Depending on your water pressure, the water flow through an older showerhead occurs
at about four to six gallons per minute. At four gallons per minute water flow, and
assuming a 65-35 mix of 120°F hot water and cold water, a five-minute shower would
use about 13 gallons of hot water. With a flow restrictor in place, hot water use
could be reduced to 7 gallons.
While flow restrictors will fit the majority of showerheads in use, this doesn't
necessarily guarantee a satisfactory shower. Some showers are reduced to a trickle,
others offer needle sharp sprays. The alternative is to buy a low flow showerhead.
These range in cost from $9.OO to $40.00 and most of them deliver water at a rate
of 2.25-3.00 gpm. Those at the low end of the price range will usually pay for
themselves in reduced energy costs in less than a year. Those at the more expensive
end of the range offer similar energy savings plus a variety of spray settings.
Faucets at bathroom and kitchen sinks can also be retrofitted to reduce water flow.
Standard faucets use about 5 to 6 gallons per minute at 72 pounds of pressure per
square inch. Regular aerators can reduce the flow to about 4.5 gallons per minute.
While this is an improvement, it still means that much of the water flowing from the
tap is just moving too fast to be really useful for such things as washing hands or
rinsing dishes. Changing to a low-flow aerator can further reduce water flow to a
much more usable 2 gallons per minute.
If you have very high water pressure, you may want to install a pressure-reducing
valve that can slow the flow rate of water 20% to 50%. The valves themselves are
about $50-$60. The cost of having a plumber install one will range from about $50-
$100. Reduced pressure, in addition to saving water, can help reduce an existing
water hammer problem in your plumbing.

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Cold Water Wash—Laundry
Second only to bathing in terms of hot water conservation is the washing machine.
The standard size clothes washer uses about 25 gallons of hot water when operated in
hot wash/warm rinse mode. A large capacity washer can use as much as 40 gallons of
hot water.
One approach to lowering your energy use would be to use a warm wash/cold rinse cycle.
By providing warm water at 80°, you can save about 65% of the energy you would use
with a hot wash/warm rinse. You should note that perspiration and oily stains can
be especially difficult to remove from synthetic fabrics without hot water. Also, in
addition to cleaning, hot water helps destroy bacteria.
For many situations, using a cold wash/cold rinse cycle can be appropriate. You may
find, however, that when water temperatures are below 60°F, your detergent may not
dissolve readily or clean adequately. One means of solving this problem, at least
to some degree, is to use liquid detergent or to predissolve powdered detergent in
warm water.
Washing Dishes
Automatic dishwashers use 11 to 16 gallons of hot water to wash a full load of dishes.
Washing and rinsing dishes by hand after each meal requires an average of 9 to 14
gallons of hot water. To conserve hot water, only use a dishwasher when it has a full
load. When the dishwasher cycle reaches the "dry" cycle, turn it to off. The dishes
will dry from the heat in the appliance.
INCREASING WATER HEATING SYSTEM EFFICIENCY
In addition to reducing the demand for hot water, there are a number of measures you
can take to improve the efficiency of your hot water system.
Turn Down Temperature On Hot Water Tank
The State of Washington now requires that all new water heaters be set at 120°F at the
time of sale. If your water heater was purchased prior to 1984, chances are that the
thermostat is set higher, probably between 140° and 150°. If you can't comfortably
hold your hand under the hot water as it comes from the tap, your thermostat is set
too high. Hot water temperatures greater than 120°F are not necessary and can cause
scalding. At 150°, scalding time is two seconds, while at 120° it is ten minutes.
High thermostat settings, besides being dangerous, will cause your water heater to lose
heat at a much more rapid rate than would occur if the temperature was kept lower.
This is because the rate of heat loss from an object increases as the temperature
difference between the object and the surrounding air increases. This can be fairly
significant since most hot water tanks keep 50 to 80 gallons of water hot 24 hours a
day. A lower temperature setting will also reduce the rate of oxidation. Oxidation
contributes to tank failure, so by lowering the temperature you will increase the
life of your tank.
You can minimize heat loss from your hot water tank by setting your thermostat at 120°F.
If your thermostat is currently set at 150° F and your tank holds 60 gallons, you can
expect to reduce your energy demand by about 15%. Here's how to do it if you have an
electric water heater:

1) Turn off your circuit breaker

or remove fuses to break the
circuit to the heater.

Page 3 of 10
 2) Remove the cover plates that
cover the thermostat. Most
electric water heaters have
two thermostats: one at the
bottom of the tank and a
second about two-thirds of
the way up the tank. Some-
times a Phillips head screw-
driver is needed.

3) Caution should be taken at

all times when the cover-
plates are off. It will be
safest if you treat the
heater as if it still has
current running through it.
Push the insulation aside
using something nonconduc-
tive. Use a flat blade screw-
driver with an insulated
handle to turn each thermo-
stat so that the pointers
are set at 120°F. Make
sure both pointers are set
at the same number. Do not
touch the brass screws that hold the wires when making the adjustment.
4) Push the insulation back over the thermostat and replace the cover plates.
Turn on the power at the fuse box or circuit breaker.
If you have a gas-fired water heater, here's how to turn down the thermostat:
1) Locate the thermostat. It's usually in a small box at the base of the heater
and has a round dial on its face.
2) The dial is usually marked warm at one side and hot at the other with marks in
between, but no temperatures indicated.
3) Turn the dial several marks towards the side marked warm.
4) The following day check the temperature of the water at the tap using a
thermometer and adjust the thermostat accordingly.
Insulate Your Water Heater
Most older water heaters lose heat quite rapidly because they were manufactured with
only 1" to l½" of fiberglass insulation (about R-5). To reduce heat loss you can
wrap your water heater with an additional jacket of fiberglass insulation.
Most tank wraps have an insulating value of R-5 or R-10. By installing an R-10 wrap
you can expect to save between 500 and 600 kWh per year. Heat loss can be further
reduced by putting a piece of 2" rigid foam under the water heater. Extruded poly-
styrene should be used since it resists compression and does not absorb water.

If you have a gas water heater, it's recommended that you purchase a commercially
available insulating blanket made specifically for a gas water heater. Such blankets
are designed so that they won't block the air intake and so that insulation will not
come in contact with the flue. This is essential for both proper functioning of the

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heater and in order to avoid a potential fire hazard.
Thermal Traps
A hot water tank has both a cold water inlet and a hot water outlet. As a result of
natural convection, water passes from the tank and heats both the inlet and outlet
pipes. If the hot water outlet runs vertically from the water heater, there can be
significant heat loss over its entire length.
To reduce this heat loss, a thermal trap can be installed just above the tank. A
thermal trap is simply a loop of pipe that interrupts normal convection patterns. Heat
flow stops at the top of the loop instead of continuing to rise. Thermal traps should
be installed on both the cold water inlet and the hot water outlet. It is best to
insulate the thermal trap to R-7 to further reduce heat loss.
Pipe Insulation
Insulating your hot water lines will save energy. The extent of savings will depend
on both household water use patterns as well as the actual lengths of pipe that the
hot water must flow through. If you use water frequently throughout the day, or if
the pipe runs are long, or if they pass through an uninsulated crawl space, your house
is a good candidate for pipe insulation.
Pipe insulation is available in several different forms. Most common are the closed
cell flexible foams. They usually come in tubes four to six feet long and in various
diameters. Tubes can be fitted around pipes by either slitting them, or in some cases,
using a slit provided by the manufacturer. In new construction, unslit insulation can
be slid over the pipes before joints are soldered. R-values for 1/2" closed cell foam
range from about 2.8 to 5 when installed around a 1/2" copper pipe. Flexible foam
tape is available for short pipe runs or use in areas where long tubes would be dif-
ficult to install. Rigid isocyanurate foam is also used for pipe insulation and is
available either with or without an outer protective jacket of PVC. One-inch thick
insulation is most commonly available and has an R-value of 7. In any installation
where the isocyanurate foam is exposed to sunlight, such as a solar water heating
system, a PVC jacket that can withstand ultraviolet light is required.
Pipes can be insulated using standard fiberglass batts which come 3½" thick and 15"
wide. Cut batts in strips 7½" wide and a manageable length, and either:
1) Wrap around pipe and staple backing to itself to form a butt seam.
2) Wrap spiral fashion around pipes and then wrap polyethylene spiral fashion
from opposite direction.
Hot Water Leaks
A leaky hot water faucet wastes both water and energy. A hot water leak that fills a
cup in 10 minutes will waste 3,280 gallons of hot water in a year. Many leaks can be
stopped by replacing the faucet washer. A screwdriver and adjustable wrench are all
the tools needed. To get at the faucet washer, turn off the water at a shutoff valve,
remove the faucet handle, packing nut and faucet stem assembly. The faucet washer is
usually a black rubber disk on the base of the stem and is attached with a screw.
Worn faucet washers are usually flat and hard. Remove the screw and pry out the old
washer. Replace it with a new washer. If you don't have a new washer, you can some-
times flip the old one over and use it a while longer.
Some faucets in older homes will continue to leak even after the faucet washer is re-
placed. This is because the valve seat that the washer presses against can become

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worn and pitted. An inexpensive grinding tool can be used to resurface the valve
seat so the washer will sit tightly against it.
While these repairs are often all that's needed for many common faucets, there are
many faucets which are more complex and require different repair steps. To under-
stand these fully, it's a good idea to refer to a book on household plumbing before
making repairs.
Another source of wasted hot water is a leaking pressure relief valve. A pressure
relief valve is a safety valve that is located either on top of the hot water tank
or connected to the hot water outlet pipe. If the drain pipe which comes from this
valve is warm over its entire length, your valve is leaking. Before replacing the
valve, try to flush it out by moving the control lever attached to the valve. This
will sometimes flush out foreign matter stuck in the valve. If this doesn't work,
you probably need a new pressure relief valve.
Hot water leaks in a hidden pipe are another cause of wasted energy. There is a
simple test, however, that you can do yourself which will detect any hidden leaks.
Aside from the pressure relief valve, there are two pipes which come out of the top
of your water heater. One supplies the cold water to the tank and the other is the
hot water outlet. When your hot water has not been in use for a few hours, the hot
water in the tank will equalize the temperature between the two pipes. Even a small
hot water tank will cause the cold water pipe to be cooled by incoming water. Feel
both pipes. If you feel a temperature difference between the pipes, you may have a
leak. If temperatures are unequal, repeat the test in two hours, making sure not to
use hot water in the meantime. If both pipes are equally warm, you don't have a hot
water leak. If only the hot water outlet is still warm, you have a leak. The pipe
will be warm all the way from the tank to the location of the leak.
WATER HEATER TIMERS
The use of a timer that automatically shuts off power to the water heater at pre-
selected times is frequently suggested as a means for reducing energy consumption.
In areas of the country where a time-of-use rate structure is in effect, timers can
be very effective, since they allow the use of electricity only during periods when
it is least expensive. Here, in Washington where time-of-use rate structures are
generally not used, the impact of a timer on energy use is considerably less.
Timers, by cutting power to the water heater, allow the temperature of the tank to
drop below the thermostat setting. The degree to which the temperature drops is
a function of how well the water heater is insulated. Recent research has shown
that the impact of timers on energy use for well insulated (R-20) water heaters is
minimal. A savings of 36 kwh per year is a reasonable expectation for a 66-gallon
tank set at 130°. While a timer can have a more significant impact on water heaters
with less insulation, their cost of $75-$100 for purchase and installation is many
times the cost of an additional tank wrap. Because tank wraps are simpler and more
effective, they are a preferable means for reducing heat loss from standing water.
DETERMINING ANNUAL HOT WATER COSTS
The size of your water heating bill depends on how much hot water you use and what
the overall efficiency of your system is.
The first step is to make a list of all the ways you use hot water in your house.
This would include showers, baths, hand washing, laundry, dishwashing, etc. Once
your list is complete, the next step is to estimate how much hot water each of these
actions uses. You will probably need to refer to manufacturers' literature for

Page 6 of 10
washing machines and dishwashers. For showers you will need to determine the flow
rate of hot water and then record the length of the shower. Flow rate is probably
most easily determined using a bucket marked in gallons and a stopwatch. For baths
you may have to bail out the bathtub and measure the water as you go. The final
step is to record how many times each of the hot water uses occurs during the course
of a week. You might want to put a tally sheet at every place you use hot water and
simply make a check whenever hot water is consumed. At the end of a week you should
be able to calculate your weekly use of hot water. You may want to do this over
the course of several weeks and figure the average.

1) _______________ X 52 Weeks = __________________________

Weekly Average Total Annual Gallons Used

2) _________________________ X 8.3 lbs. = _______________

Total Annual Gallons Used Weight of Water

3) _______________ X _________________ = ____________________

Weight of Water Temperature Rise Number of BTU’s/Year
(Subtract 50 From
Your Thermostat Setting)
FOR ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS
The efficiency of electric water heaters ranges from 65%-95% when the effects of
standby losses are taken into consideration. You should check with a dealer who
carries your brand of water heater to determine its efficiency. If this information
is not available, 85% is a reasonable average efficiency.

___________________ = 1 + (1 – efficiency) X ________________________

Required BTU Input BTUs/Year From Line 3

__________ = __________ e 3413 (Number of BTU’s/Kwh)

Kwh/Year BTU Input
FOR GAS WATER HEATERS
The efficiency of gas water heaters ranges from 40%-65%, including standby losses.
The average efficiency is about 50%.

___________________ = 1 + (1 – efficiency) X ________________________

Required BTU Input BTUs/Year From Line 3

____________ = ___________ e 100,000 (Number of BTU’s/Therm)

Therms/Year BTU Input
ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS

_________________ = ________ X ________

Annual Cost of Kwh/Year Cost/Kwh
Electric Water Heating

_________________ = ___________ X ___________

Annual Cost of Therms/Year Cost/Therm
Gas Water Heating

Page 7 of 10
 SUGGESTED READING

Faucet Repair:

• Reader's Digest. Complete Do-it-Yourself Manual. Pleasantville, NY.

Solar Water Heating:

• Montgomery, Richard and Budnick, Jim. The Solar Decision Book. Dow
Corning. Midland, MI.

• Franklin Research Center, HUD/DOE. Installation Guidelines for Solar

DWH Systems.

• Eklund (et al). A Solar Water Heating Workshop Manual. Ecotope.

Seattle.

Heating Water With A Woodstove:

• Shelton, Jay W. Wood Heat Safety. Garden Way Publishing. Vermont. 1979

This fact sheet was written by Randy Acker. Illustrations provided by Sam McJunkin.

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