Date: October 21, 2024
In many ways, your home’s water heater is a low-key MVP. It doesn’t get nearly the same attention as your heating and cooling equipment, but your family depends on it every month of the year. Without a well-functioning water heater, your showers wouldn’t be as relaxing, your hot water taps wouldn’t work and neither would your washer or dishwasher.
Beyond that, the average U.S. home uses nearly 20% of its energy to heat water. At Cubby Oil & Energy, we have a team of dedicated HVAC professionals who can help you get the best performance from your hot water equipment while limiting your energy consumption.
Traditional storage tank water heaters are the units you probably picture when you imagine a water heater: tall and cylindrical with a tank containing many gallons of water. These units still tend to be the most popular options for homes in the Boston area. They typically have the lowest upfront costs.
However, storage tank units have some drawbacks when it comes to operating costs. That tank normally contains 30 to 50 gallons of hot water, which is deployed when a hot water fixture or appliance needs it. But when you aren’t using that water, your oil burner has to work to heat it back up whenever it cools. The fuel you burn to heat and reheat unused water is called a “standby heat loss.” It can add up to a lot of wasted energy spending.
To lower how many times your burner needs to come on, you can slow down how quickly your water heater tank cools off by wrapping it with insulation. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says that using water heater insulations can cut standby losses by about 25% to 45%, saving you around 7% to 16% on your water heating expenses. That kind of efficiency can really make a dent in your fuel costs.
Water heater tank insulation products are available at hardware stores, home stores and online retailers. Many homeowners use a water heater blanket, which is an insulating cover that slips over your unit. You can trim the water heater blanket to fit your appliance’s size or add extra insulation at the bottom. Just be sure not to create a fire hazard or block the controls.
You can also use insulation wrap, a foil-like product that wraps around the tank.
Are you dealing with inconsistent hot water and mounting fuel consumption? While insulating your water heater tank may help, Cubby can help you all but eliminate your standby losses with super-efficient products like indirect-fired water heaters and tankless coil water heaters. These systems use heat from your boiler or furnace to warm up water. When you pair them with a high-efficiency system, you minimize your energy consumption and vastly lower your hot-water-related costs.
For a free estimate on an innovative, high-efficiency water heater, contact Cubby Oil & Energy today.