Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. It typically accounts for about 14% of your utility bill.

There are three ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, and buy a new, more efficient water heater. A family of four, each showering for 5 minutes a day, uses 700 gallons of water a week; this is enough for a 3-year supply of drinking water for one person. You can cut that amount in half simply by using low-flow nonaerating showerheads and faucets.

Water Heating Tips

• Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period.
• Install nonaerating low-flow faucets and showerheads.
• Buy a new water heater. While it may cost more initially than a standard water heater, the energy savings will continue during the lifetime of the appliance. Although most water heaters last 10 ­ 15 years, it"s best to start shopping for a new one if yours is more than seven years old.

• Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 115°F provides comfortable hot water for most uses.
• If you heat with electricity, consider installing a solar water heater. The solar units are environmentally friendly and can now be installed on your roof to blend with the architecture of your house. When shopping for a solar water heater, watch for systems certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC).
• Take more showers than baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in the average household. You use 15­ to 25 gallons of hot water for a bath, but less than 10 gallons during a 5-minute shower.
  
  (source US Department of Energy)