Cooperative Living August 2014 - 30

continued from pg. 26
tion on the top meets the sides) to create an
air-tight barrier. Fiberglass insulation is only
effective if you prevent air from passing
through it.
DRAINING THE WATER TANK
At least once a year, drain a gallon of
water from the drain valve at the bottom of
the tank. This will flush out sediment,
which collects there. Sediment insulates the
water from the heating element. This is
more important to do with a gas or propane
water heater, but it also helps some on an
electric one.
MANAGING THE WATER
TEMPERATURE
It is important to keep the water temperature
as low as possible. A greater temperature
difference between the hot water and
the air in your basement or utility room
increases the tank standby losses. During
the summer, these losses heat up your
house and make your air conditioner run
longer, creating a double energy expense.
Check the temperature of the hot water
at a faucet where you use the most hot
water. I keep the water temperature at my
house at only 110 degrees. If you keep it so
hot that you have to mix much cold with it
to tolerate the temperature, it is too hot.
Most laundry detergents work well in cold
water, and dishwashers have built-in preheaters.
Be sure to turn off electricity to the
water heater before making any adjustments.
Feel the temperature of the hot-water
outlet and cold-water inlet pipes. If they are
fairly warm, it means hot water, because it is
less dense, is naturally circulating upward
and cooling off. Put tubular foam insulation
on the water-heater inlet and outlet water
pipes to minimize the heat loss. This type
of insulation is split on one side, making it
easy to install over the pipes. Insulate the
first 4 to 6 inches of the exposed piping.
If you are having some other plumbing
work done, while the plumber is there, have
him install heat-trap fittings in the water
heater to block this circulation in the pipes.
Paying to have a plumber come just to
install heat-trap fittings will probably not
make economic sense.
INSTALLING A TIMER
Installing a water-heater timer can be
effective if your work schedule means you
typically do not use hot water during a
Send questions to James Dulley, Cooperative
Living inquiry, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati,
OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.
longer regular time period. This keeps the
heating elements from coming on. The
temperature should not drop much on a
well-insulated tank. Check with your
electric co-op regarding load-management
programs. They can identify the times of
day when the demand for electricity is less.
If you end up deciding to get a new
electric water heater, select a 12-yearwarranty
model. These have higher
R-value foam insulation in the tank walls
than a cheaper six-year model. Also, most
of the 12-year models have electronic digital
controls, which simplify setting the
hot-water temperature. They also have a
vacation-mode setting to save electricity
when you travel. Heat-pump water
heaters should also be considered if you're
looking to make a purchase. These water
heaters use electricity to move heat from
one place to another rather than generating
heat directly. While they tend to cost
more initially, they have lower operating
costs, which can save you money in the
long run. 
28
Cooperative Living/August 2014
http://www.dulley.com
Cooperative Living August 2014

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