Want to save a little every month?

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Our electric company is doing a program where they send someone out to help you minimize your power usage.

Well, two things many people can do is turn the water heater up to 120F, that's their reccomended level. The other thing is to get a "blanket" for it from a hardware store, costs around $8 to help it remain warm longer. Maybe it won't save you $20 a month or something, but I'm guessing over time you'll get that $8 you spent on the blanket for it and you'll save a little after that.

Oh, and I said a blanket specifically for the heater, I don't want someone to blame me when they put their sleeping blanket on it and it caught fire edit: yes, I'm paranoid

 

[CrackRabbit]

damnit, i put my electic blanket around my water heater and it caught on fire!!!! what do i do?!

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
damnit, i put my electic blanket around my water heater and it caught on fire!!!! what do i do?!

Post pics for further analysis, obviously.

And you claim to have been here since 2001. :roll:

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

When you're on a tight budget it seems even more hard to stick to the gun. Either get a second or third job, or go from part time to full time. Or be brave/foolish like me and hit the casino!

 

[her209]

Take less showers.

 

[shimsham]

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
damnit, i put my electic blanket around my water heater and it caught on fire!!!! what do i do?!

sue the home builder and the manufacturers of the blanket and water heater.

 

[Eli]

We should get a blanket for our water heater.

It keeps the utility room around 55 - 60ºF in the winter time, heh.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Eli
We should get a blanket for our water heater.

It keeps the utility room around 55 - 60ºF in the winter time, heh.

yeah, that's a lot of heat loss, you could really benefit from it

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: her209
Take less showers.

Or take a shower with a friend to save water.

 

[Amused]

If your HW heater is in a heated/air conditioned part of the house, put a blanket on it in the summer, and take it off in the winter.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Originally posted by: Eli
We should get a blanket for our water heater.

It keeps the utility room around 55 - 60ºF in the winter time, heh.

yeah, that's a lot of heat loss, you could really benefit from it

If it's gas, a lot of that lost heat is from the vent... and you don't want to be stopping that.

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: SynthDude2001

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
damnit, i put my electic blanket around my water heater and it caught on fire!!!! what do i do?!

Post pics for further analysis, obviously.

And you claim to have been here since 2001. :roll:

Here!

 

[ggavinmoss]

Originally posted by: jadinolf

Originally posted by: her209
Take less showers.

Or take a shower with a friend to save water.

Those showers tend to run a little longer...

-geoff

 

[dman]

Some folks have the temp set too high, there's an optimal temp and I thought it was 160 not 120, but, haven't searched in a while. 160 might be the highest 'safe' temperature to prevent burnination of the body parts... not sure.

The blanket sounds good but I think the more recent water heaters are pretty well insulated so I'm not sure it'd make much difference for us. Mine is cool to the touch on the outside.

Furthermore, we lost power on Saturday night from the hurricane and water was still hot on Monday Night ~48hrs later, until we used it up. Thus, I don't think I'll be spending the $8 will help much... but something to consider... Thanks for the tip.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: dman
Some folks have the temp set too high, there's an optimal temp and I thought it was 160 not 120, but, haven't searched in a while. 160 might be the highest 'safe' temperature to prevent burnination of the body parts... not sure.

The blanket sounds good but I think the more recent water heaters are pretty well insulated so I'm not sure it'd make much difference for us. Mine is cool to the touch on the outside.

Furthermore, we lost power on Saturday night from the hurricane and water was still hot on Monday Night ~48hrs later, until we used it up. Thus, I don't think I'll be spending the $8 will help much... but something to consider... Thanks for the tip.

160ºF is much, much too hot and will seriously scald you and is very dangerous if you have small children.

Our water temperature is set to ~145ºF, and it is much too hot to put your hands in.

If your water heater is cool to the touch on the outside, it probably has some exceptional insulation. Ours certainly isn't.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: dman
Some folks have the temp set too high, there's an optimal temp and I thought it was 160 not 120, but, haven't searched in a while. 160 might be the highest 'safe' temperature to prevent burnination of the body parts... not sure.

The blanket sounds good but I think the more recent water heaters are pretty well insulated so I'm not sure it'd make much difference for us. Mine is cool to the touch on the outside.

Furthermore, we lost power on Saturday night from the hurricane and water was still hot on Monday Night ~48hrs later, until we used it up. Thus, I don't think I'll be spending the $8 will help much... but something to consider... Thanks for the tip.

yeah it'll still be hot if it's gas