One of the most often utilised items in every home is the water heater. But generally speaking, it doesn’t require much upkeep.
Regardless of the appliance, you must eventually turn it off. But is turning off your electric water heater while it’s not in use absolutely necessary?
Turning Off Your Heater — Is It Necessary?
Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of switching off your electric, gas, or tankless water heaters is always a good idea.
So that you can make an informed decision for your household, let’s go over the advantages and disadvantages of turning off your heater.
Pros of turning off your heater:
- Despite the fact that your appliances are adequately insulated, a little amount of heat can still escape when the water heater is running.
- You might be able to reduce your monthly expenditures by a small amount by turning off your water heater.
Cons of turning off your heater:
- There won’t be much of an energy savings. According to a research by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the cost of energy is predicted to increase by 3.9% from June to August 2022 when compared to the same period the previous year.
- Frequently turning on and off the heating might exacerbate existing issues. It causes your water supply to run out of hot water when you need it. Delaying the use of warm water may also be caused by issues turning the power back on.
When Do You Really Need to Turn Your Water Heater Off?
There are some circumstances in which it is important to turn off your water heater. These are some of those explanations:
- after cutting off the main water supply
- If a leak occurs
- In the course of performing maintenance services
- When you go for pleasure
How To Turn Off Your Water Heater?
Connecting the switch is the simplest way to turn off your water heater. Connect the switch to the heater’s power 30 minutes before you need it, then turn it off before utilising the hot water.
For your water heater, you might want to install a timer. You can avoid manually turning on and off your water heater by using a timer. However, the cost of this choice has emerged.
Consider both the advantages and disadvantages before deciding whether or not to turn off your water heater. To guarantee that you have warm water when you need it, make sure to note the time it is not in use.
Other Ways To Lower Your Water Heating Cost
The following advice will assist in reducing your water heating expenses.
Schedule a regular unit flushing/maintenance
Your standby heat loss can be decreased by having a professional insulate your tank. Your annual expenses could be cut by 7% to 16% thanks to this process.
Lower the output temperature
You might save anywhere from 4% and 22% a year by reducing the output temperature on a gas or electric water heater. However, keep in mind that you should never fall below 120F because doing so increases the danger of Legionnaires’ disease.
Read more: Can You Shower During a Power Outage? Here’s the Answer