SAVINGS ACTION 59: Lower the temperature on your water heater
In a typical household, the water heater thermostat is set to around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. But did you know that setting it to 120 is usually fine? Each 10-degree reduction saves 3 to 5 percent on your energy costs and 600 pounds of CO2 per year for an electric water heater, or 440 pounds for a gas heater. Reducing your water temperature to 120 also slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes. This helps your water heater last longer and operate at its maximum efficiency. Here's another interesting tidbit from the folks at Power ScoreCard: "If every household turned its water heater thermostat down 20 degrees, we could prevent more than 45 million tons of annual CO2 emissions — the same amount emitted by the entire nations of Kuwait or Libya."
Savings: 3-5 percent on your monthly energy costs
Environmental Impact: 440-600 pounds of CO2 emissions reduced annually
TAKE THE CHALLENGE and LEARN MORE about SAVING ENERGY! Visit: www.SouthCoastEnergyChallenge.org