Water heater myths fact busted

Water heater myths fact busted

Operating your water heater myths facts or busted.

There are many myths surrounding the idea of saving money on your water heater, and more specifically whether or not reducing the water temperature will save you money. Here is a list of some of those myths and whether or not there is any truth in them.

  • It’s best if you leave the hot water heater on at all times rather than turning it on and off.

This is a very common myth, but you actually do not need to be heating your water all the time. As long as your tank has a good insulating jacket, your water will remain hot all day. By not having the hot water heater on all day to heat up your water, you are saving energy and money.

  • A new water heater will offer you substantial savings.

Water heater myths fact/ busted

This is a myth. You do save about $6.00 a month in energy costs when replacing an old heater with a new one, but those savings don’t take into account the overall price of purchasing a new hot water heater.

  • Older water heaters do not meet safety standards.

When the heater was installed, it was installed under the guidance of the regulations then. If you’re worried about it not covering the current safety standards, get it checked out. So this is a myth.

water heater myths busted
  • Older water heaters lead to dirty water.

Water heater myths fact busted

This is a myth. Water heaters are designed to withstand any build-up. If you notice a rusty color to your water, or if it takes longer than usual to heat up water, get it checked out.

  • Insulate your water heater.

This is something you need to do. Instead of having it run all day so that you’ll have a nice hot bath, leave it on for an hour or so. Turn it off and the insulation in your water heater will keep the water hot. By insulating your water heater, it will also lead to shorter waiting time for your hot water to come through your faucet.

 

  • Turn down your water heater.

This is true. This is a very quick and energy efficient way to save money. You can get away with turning down the heater to only about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Some people worry about the bacteria due to not having hotter water, but just make sure you use soap when washing the dishes and you’ll kill any leftover bacteria. There wouldn’t have been any difference anyway unless you soak all your dishes in hot water beforehand.

Save money by buying a water heater timer.
A water heater timer will allow you to program the times when your water heater activates and deactivates.

It’s important to sort through all of these myths and misconceptions before going through with some of them. Sometimes the things that are said to save you money, will actually cost you more money than you wanted to spend, or just won’t save you any money at all.

Knowing the myths and facts about your water heater and how it will work more effectively for you, will help you save money. There might be no need to replace an older water heater as long as it’s working properly.

For this situation the old saying of wear it out runs true.

If you would like help inspecting your water heater or with minor repairs try out our new virtual handyman service. I will walk you through via face timing.

Comments (20)

  • I like the idea of a virtual handyman. Love learning about the water heater myths!

    Lisa Manderino
    Reply
  • Thanks for these tips. I would have believed those myths forever!

    Jordan
    Reply
  • Good tips and great myths that were “busted.”

    Lisa
    Reply
  • Wow. I didn’t know a lot of this. I didn’t know that with insulation, you could even turn off your water heater for much of the day. Good to know!

    Reply
  • I anticipate that my old water heater will bite the dust soon, so this post is very timely. I love a good “myth busted/confirmed” article. Keep it up!

    Reply
  • This is very helpful. I think for homeowners that are not “handy” this is clear to help them make decisions and not rely on a handyman that may not be honest.

    Angela
    Reply
  • Great post and a fantastic job on the infographic too! These are really great facts to know!

    Reply
  • I never knew you could insulate your water heater. Thanks for the tip!

    Reply
  • Very interesting and informative! I leaned a lot from this! Thanks for sharing!

    Jen
    Reply
  • I think your blog posts are so informative. I love having a resource to look things up so I don’t feel so foolish… Thanks for existing!

    Reply
    • So nice to hear. Thank you

      Karie
      Reply
  • Thanks for all the great tips! We have a tankless water heater, but I think we can still apply many of your suggestions. Great job!

    Reply
    • Tankless water heaters are great! That’s a whole nother blog post. 🙂

      Karie
      Reply
  • What a great list for those with traditional water heaters, including some surprising facts. Thanks for sharing this.

    Reply
  • These are excellent tips! We do have our water heater turned down so my husband will be happy that this is a good thing! 😃 Haven’t thought about turning it off.

    Reply
  • Thanks Larry! Good to know the cost savings of a new water heater isn’t going to pay itself off in a short amount of time. I’m going to go turn down the temperature level on our heater now!

    Malia
    Reply
  • Great, helpful information!

    Reply
  • This is such a great site and will be helpful to so many people. Thanks for sharing the water heater tips!

    Cynthia
    Reply
  • What great information. Thank you for sharing this!

    Reply
  • Thanks for all of this information! I find that I often find myself listening to the myths! I appreciate the clarification.

    Reply

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