March 23 – Turn Down the Heater

“It serves as fuel for man. He takes some of it and warms himself; also he kindles a fire and bakes bread.” ~ Isaiah 44:15

There is nothing like taking a hot shower to wash away the worries of our day. But too much of a good thing is NOT a good thing. Water heating accounts for 15 to 25% of energy consumption in the average home. For every 10 degrees you turn down your water heater, you’ll save 3% to 5% on your bill. Most water heaters come pre-set at 140 degrees, which has the added risk of scalding. It is recommended that households lower it to 120 degrees. This amount is high enough for your needs, and high enough to reduce mineral buildup in your tank and pipes.

A fridge/freeze is an appliance one uses on a daily basis and it is normally kept on 24/7. Fridges form part of our energy consumption. Refrigerators and freezers should not be set too cold. It is recommended to set your fridge between 4-5°C and the freezer to -18°C .If you set fridge or freezer 1°C colder, it increase your energy consumption by 5 to 10% and therefore increase your electric bill.

Steps to turn down water heater:

Find the current temperature- use a thermostat to measure the temperature your water is at now. At the tap furthest from the water.
Mark the setting- to remember this setting, mark that temperature on your thermostat.
Now turn down the thermostat to what you think will be 120 degrees, based on your earlier measurement.
Wait at least 2 hours. Measure the water temperature again at the same far-away tap. It may take a few attempts to get it right.
Once it’s right, mark that spot on your thermostat so you’ll remember the new temperature.

How to turn up the fridge using a thermostat:

To check your refrigerator’s temperature, set a thermostat in a glass of water in the center of the appliance. Read the thermostat after 24 hours. For a freezer, place a thermostat in between packages. Again, read the thermostat after 24 hours.

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