Is buying a water Heater Timer worth it?
When it comes to making the home more energy efficient, the water heater should be a bigger concern than most people think.As much as 12 percent of your home's energy usage can be attributed to your water heater.
There isn't much time spent explaining the benefits of installing a water heater timer, as more time is spent encouraging people to buy new water heating equipment.
There are a variety of devices that can be used to control water heaters, ranging from a simple On/Off switch to controllers that you can use from your phone.There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to which types of timer should be used in which settings.
While a simple On/Off switch is not a timer, it is an efficient method of reducing energy costs.Since it takes a while for water to heat up, this method requires more planning than any other, making it less efficient.
The advantage of this type of timer is that it can be turned off after a certain amount of time.The method is more efficient than a switch, but still requires manual execution.
A timer is the most efficient method for household use.You can use this type of timer to control the power to your water heater.One timer can be set for weekdays when no one is home and another for the weekend when the whole family is using hot water.
The best water heater timer style is a box timer.You can set different usage periods based on the hour and day of the week with the digital and electronic water heater timers.
Intermatic is the most well-known and trusted brand of water heaters.A box timer is highly recommended for situations where the amount of hot water needed varies depending on the day.
Smart homes rely on smart technology, and there are a lot of things you can do from your phone.This type of connected timer is more expensive than other types, but gives you total control over the system, no matter where you are.
Even if gas is the primary fuel source for your water heater, it probably depends on electricity to turn it on or off.There are various types of timers available, up to and including Z-Wave.
In areas where utility costs are determined by peak usage rates, a water heater timer will save you a bit of money, but will offer greater savings on tanks that are not inside a heated area of your home.
Adding insulation or moving the water heater inside the heated portion of the home can increase the savings, but a timer can still help you maximize the amount of hot water you need versus keeping the unit operating 24/7.
If your electric company charges you more during the evening hours, you can use a timer to turn the water heater off during peak energy usage times.
Installation depends on the type of timer being used.There are timers which can be plugged in between the water heater and the wall outlet and are ready to use.
Other types of timers may need to connect the wires to the timer and the water heater at the same time.This type of installation should only take a few minutes and can be accomplished with a couple of screwdrivers.You need to check the way your water heater is wired and buy the right timer.
Are you sure about installation and want a professional to do it for you?How much would this job cost you?
There are other ways to cut energy costs.You can achieve the most efficiency with a combination of methods.Some of the most common ways to reduce water heater power consumption are listed here.
The advantage of this is that it reduces both hot water heater operation and water consumption in the home.
Reducing the temperature of the water will save power and reduce water consumption.By using cooler water, there is less need to mix cold water into the hot water flow, and that could cut water consumption by as much as 50%.
Adding a thick layer of insulation to the unit helps keep the water hot longer, and reduces the time it takes to maintain the desired temperature.Simple yet effective.
Performing annual maintenance, including draining and flushing your tank or even replacing a heating element on an older electric model, will help your water heater operate more efficiently and prevent costly and unexpected malfunction.
Water heaters are not designed to last forever.If your water heater is more than 10 years old, it's time to replace it with a more efficient model.
Energy star ratings, tank sizes, and options such as installing an on-demand water heating system are things to consider when shopping for a new water heater.The right unit for your home will give you plenty of hot water.
A water heater timer is a great way to help you manage your energy usage more efficiently, even though it won't save you a lot of money.If you combine some of the methods above, you can cut your water heating bill in half.
Thanks for the suggestions!I agree with you about the merits of the water heater timer.When you don't use your electric water heater, a timer can turn it off.It is possible to turn off the water heater during peak demand times.
The water will only be turned on when it's being used.The burners will be on the whole time if you use a timer.The burners will be on the entire time if you use a timer.You can save electricity by using a larger tank.If you go on vacation, turn off the hot water before you leave to save on electricity.I use cold water to wash my clothes.Electric water heaters are very expensive to operate.You can get the longest tank water heater warranty.They are more insulated.
Absent a timer, water in a heater cools off when not being used and the elements must refire to reheat it for on-demand usage.When one isn't going to need the water on-demand, a timer stops the cycle of heat.
I thought the above was self-explanatory to anyone who has thought about how hot water heaters work.
I own a 19 gallon tank that is 1500 watt per hour.It makes taking showers shorter, but I enjoy a hot-hot shower, so I use a "Navy" shower head to conserve water, and add cold water to extend my time in the shower.I have a timer that I use that allows me to set it to run twice a day.Alabama Power doesn't give residential customers many options; two of them and worse, they raise the base charge from $14.50 to $25 to those who make the attempt to save energy with their Time Advantage plans, but you will save money if you are really serious about lowering your energy bill.If you choose to use their normal Family Dwelling rate, your bill will be around $132 per 1000 kilowatt hours, but if you use Time Advantage - Energy, you will get a bill of about $101 per 1,000 kilowatthours.They won't advertise Bill Calculation Factors among their rates, so what appears to be 5.5196 cents is a lot closer to 10 cents per kilowatt hour.It's hard to break even on this rate during the summer, but the other 8 months, I save on average $40 a month, and the timer makes a huge difference when I heat.The timer allows you to know what you are using, even though what I wrote doesn't speak to the timer itself.If you limit the hours it is on, you will save more money than if you use a timer.At best, one hour of water use through a tankless will use between 9 and 13 kilowatts per hour; me, I use less than that.A bigger water heater will use more.If you want to measure your usage throughout your home, buy one of the Kilowatt devices.I use timers on my window AC units.Adding a whole house ventilator is something I am looking at.
If you have time of use rates, a timer is only useful.You pay to heat the water.The losses are quite small.I don't think I could tell the difference between 4C and 52C overnight because our basic electric water heater loses about 1C every 3 hours.It pays to heat the water at the low rate and use it during the day if you have enough of it.We use 3-4 kilowatts per day for 2 retirees using the lowest rate.Savings can be as little as $5 a month.
Great information.A gas water heater timer is an effective way to save energy.Timers are offered by many of the water heater manufacturers.If you are looking for a universal type gas water heater timer, there is one that can be used with a simple appliance timer supplied with the unit, or you can use any device of your choice.It's great for second homeowners as well.
Water heaters that are tankless can save energy.If you are on a well, there are problems with a tankless water heater.You may have a 2 tot 4 day waiting period until the repair is made and 2 trips by the plumbing company because they don't carry parts for all of the models on the market.The initial cost of installation is usually very high.It makes sense to use a timer.
There is a question.When using the over- ride on an electric water timer, is it possible to heat the water to the level of the hot water tank thermostat, or is the override feature able to do that?There is a person named Gerry.
The timer acts as an on/off switch for the water heater so no, it doesn't change the thermostat.
The article would have been a good place to research the replacement of the anode.
There are some things said in the comments.When hot water isn't needed, the timer will allow the water in the WH to cool.The heat source will keep the water at a high temperature if it is active all day.It is better to heat the water from it's cooler state.The hotter something is, the more heat it loses.
I replaced my water heating unit with a 40 gal unit.I tried to reduce my elec bill by installing an Intermatic timer.I had no hot water in the morning after installation.According to a call to support, the on-off cycling confuses the controller and could cause failure of the control board.It is ok to use a timer with no problems according to other sources.I don't have a problem with the water heater because I want to save a few more dollars.I need someone to help confirm.
50 cents a kWh is the price of electricity in Bermuda.The water heater goes off at 0830 after it comes on.It is only on for 5 hours a day in the afternoon.Saving 19 hours a day.The saving is huge.I had an energy detective on my electric panel that I used to watch the heater go in every 5 minutes.I think my electric bill went down by $100 a month.
We all have a device on our water heaters that mixes hot water from the tank with cold to give us a constant output temperature.It would be great to have a timer that would allow us to heat the water higher during off peak electricity hours and lower during the high peak period.In the future, we might have hot water tanks that can store heat during the off peak period.
I have thought about timers, blankets around tanks, and the fact that gas was to high for 12 years before I switched to electric.I wanted to put back gas because my electric bill hasn't gone down despite the fact that gas is cheaper now.I have read that a fair price should be a cost of stuff, but the price to install is ridiculous.One guy told me to charge a flat rate, which is not fare ether, as my pipes and wall are not a big deal, and even though I need water, none of the estimates have said prices.I have been in business for a long time and never did that.It is impossible to get honest people not to rip you off because these guys don't show up or call back.I have been heating water on the stove if it wasn't for a friend coming visit, it's all joke now that inflation has surpassed the means on everything.I have had it talking to these guys.Rc.
My electric company is going to cut off my power.It may be flawed.It saved me $4 a month.Is the heater going to wear out sooner if you run it all the time?
I own a new Rheem nat gas water heater that has a powered vent.I was thinking of putting it on a timer so that it wouldn't work without power.I called Rheem to see if this would be a problem since so many devices have electronics.The first person I talked with said it should be ok, but then they asked another tech and the answer came back no.I think there isn't a problem and Rheem gave me the "safe" answer.Any thoughts on this?