How to Save Money on Your Power Bill by Using Less Hot Water

One of the simplest ways of saving money is to reduce your monthly power bill. With the rising price of natural gas, taking a shorter shower can save you a lot in the long run.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Need to save money

1. First off, let me explain the way a water heater works. A water heater is a large canister that heats water to a certain temperature. Once the water is heated, it stops working. This, however is inefficient, because your water heater continues to keep the water at this temperature until it is used. When hot water is used, this reduces the overall temperature of the water in the tank, thus making it work to reheat the water stored.
2. Obviously, the more hot water you use, the harder your water heater has to work to maintain the set temperature. When you take a shower, you mix that hot water in with the water coming in to your home to obtain the desired temperature.
3. Now the question is how to save money. If you take fewer showers, or use less hot water, your water heater uses less electricity, or natural gas, to reheat the water stored in the tank. This can save you a substantial amount of money on your power bill.

Tips & Warnings

• Try turning off the water when washing yourself, and turning back on to rinse. Every little bit helps.
• Try using cold water, instead of warm or hot, to wash clothes. This uses less hot water as well.
• Use your dishwasher less. Your dishwasher uses quite a bit of hot water, and hand-washing your dishes can save as well.