Use Your Water Heater Less — and Save Money — With These Tips

Schedule Now

You may be completely unaware that you’re literally throwing money down the drain with an inefficient water heater, but the fact is you probably are.

Hot water waste and overuse drives up energy costs for many families, but thankfully there’s an easy solution. Take a few small steps to use your water heater less and save money on heating expenses.

Opt for cold water when possible

Most people don’t realize that cold water is just fine for a lot of laundering, especially for rinsing.

  • Switch to cold washes for most loads. Clothes still get clean, but you save money.
  • For heavily soiled clothing or items that recommend a warm wash, go ahead and follow the instructions on the label, but rinse in cold water for savings.

Low-flow fixtures

If your home is older, you’ve likely got older fixtures in your bathrooms. Showerheads and faucets today are designed to reduce the flow of water and eliminate waste. The difference is surprising; today’s showerheads are designed with a flow rate of no more than 2.5 gpm, while those from 1992 and before can have a flow rate of up to 5.5 gpm.

Thankfully, it doesn’t cost a fortune to fix this water waster. Newer, efficient showerheads are affordable and easy to install. Updating faucets is also easy, since you can simply change out the aerator on the faucet.  Aerators are inexpensive, easy to replace and save you money. Choose one with a flow of 1.0 gpm or less for the most savings.

Energy-efficient appliances

Today’s clothes washers and dishwashers are more efficient than older counterparts. Some newer dishwashers utilize a booster heater that heats the water internally, so your water heater doesn’t have to work as hard. They also use less water in general, so they are better for the environment, too.

If you’d like to know more about saving money with your water heater, contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We’ve been helping greater Cincinnati area homeowners with their water and heating needs since 1910, and we’d love to help you, too.

Image via Shutterstock.com

Schedule
Call
"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Read Reviews
    Image

    Financing

    Learn More
    Image

    Apollo Care Plan

    Learn More