Three DIY Improvements That Lower Hot Water Costs

Your parents were right, paying more than you need for hot water is the same as pouring money down the drain. Making some small improvements to your home can help you save money on your energy bill. Whether it's cleaning a dryer vent, or fixing a leaky faucet, small investments can make big changes to your energy bill.

Aerators
Installing a faucet aerator is sure to save you money. Aerators work by mixing air into the water stream. The result is a high pressure stream of water that uses less water than a solid stream. An added benefit to aerators is that the aerated stream does not splash. In normal household use aerators installed on you kitchen and bathroom faucets can save the BTUs needed to heat several hundred gallons of hot water a year.The best aerators are rated for a flow of 2.5 gallons per minute or less for kitchen faucets and 1 gallon per minuet for bathrooms. Aerators are made to fit faucets with spouts that are threaded either on the inside or outside. Some aerators are available with a swivel feature to direct the stream where you wish. When installing a new aerator place the washer (this should be provided with your aerator) on the aerator and screw it on by hand.

Replacing Old Shower Heads

When you replace an old shower head with a newer low-flow head you can save an enormous amount on your hot water costs. The new shower head should be rated no higher than 2.5 gallons per minute. To install the new shower head, tape the jaws of a pipe wrench to avoid scratching the finish. Use the tapped wrench to keep the shower arm from turning while you unscrew the old shower head using an adjustable wrench or a second taped pipe wrench. The new show head will screw directly onto the shower arm unless it has a pivoting ball joint at the end. If your new shower head has a ball joint, you'll need a
standard half-inch threaded shower head adapter. To install the adapter, wrap one end with pipe thread tape and screw it tightly into the ball joint. Apply pipe thread tape to the shower arm or the other end of the adapter then screw on the new shower head hand tight using any washers supplied by the manufacturer. Id water leaks from the joint, tighten the new shower head with the tools you used to loosen your old shower head.

                                 Fixing a Leaky Faucet 

Faucets can leak in two ways-- a steady drip from the spot or seeping from the stem that leaves a telltale puddle under the faucet handle. In either case it is important to repair these leaks promptly. If possible, determine the make and model of faucet before starting work. Local hardware stores should have repair kits for most faucets. A kit contains replacement parts, instructions and any soecial tools that may be necessary for the repair. If you don't know the make and model of you faucet, take the defective parts to the hardware store for matching replacement parts.

Putting off these simple repairs and improvements may seem like no big deal, however wasting water means you are wasting money. Making improvements to your faucets will significantly lower your hot water bills cost and give you more money to spend on other energy saving projects around the house.