One of the easiest and most practical ways to cut your water heating costs is to simply reduce the amount of hot water being used. In most cases, this can be done with little or no initial cost and only minor changes in lifestyle. Some common-sense tips for reducing hot water use include:

• Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. These devices regulate water flow and can save substantial amounts of both energy and water. Low-flow showerheads can reduce flow rates from around 5 gpm (gallons per minute) to 2.5 gpm or less, and are easy and inexpensive to install. Hot water use for an average shower can be reduced from around 50 gallons to 25 gallons or less. There are a wide variety of low-flow showerheads available, including the popular pulsating or "massage" type. Some of these showerheads incorporate a valve or pushbutton which allows the user to interrupt the water flow while "soaping up", saving even more.
• Take showers instead of baths. With a low-flow showerhead installed, showering may use only one-third the hot water of a bath.
• Take shorter showers. The amount of water used is directly related to the time spent in the shower.
• Use the lowest temperature wash and rinse settings on clothes washers. An average load of laundry uses about 32 gallons of water. Switching from hot to cold water will not only save the energy used to heat the water, but can also reduce fading and shrinkage of clothes.
• Operate clothes washers and dishwashers only when full. An automatic dishwasher typically uses about 8 to 14 gallons per cycle. Consider using the "light wash" cycle for lightly soiled dishes - it can save about 3 gallons per cycle. For smaller loads of laundry, use the lowest available water level setting.
• Fix any leaks in pipes or faucets. A leaky faucet can waste 3,000 gallons or more every year. If the leak is in a hot water pipe or faucet, the energy savings could easily pay for fixing the leak.
• Don't leave hot water running while washing or shaving - this wastes both energy and water.

Reducing water use in general can also result in lower water and sewer costs, and can extend the life of plumbing equipment. Operating clothes washers and dishwashers only when full will also extend the life of these appliances, because they will ultimately be used fewer times.

The hot water that many of us take for granted can account for a substantial portion of your total energy costs, as much as 25% depending on use. In many cases, showers can be the largest single contributor to overall hot water use. Even a modest 10-minute shower can use up to 50 gallons of hot water with a conventional showerhead. A low-flow showerhead can reduce this by half or even more, without sacrificing the "feel" of the shower. There are a wide variety of low-flow showerheads available, including hand-held and designer models.

By restricting the flow and forcing the water through very small apertures, these showerheads aerate and increase the velocity of the water, creating a very fine but "wet" feeling spray pattern. While a conventional showerhead uses 4-5 gallons or more per minute, the low-flow type uses approximately 2 - 2.5 gallons per minute, with some models using even less. Many are equipped with a push-button shutoff valve which allows the user to interrupt the flow of water while soaping up, saving even more.

Replacing a conventional showerhead with a low-flow model is usually a very quick and simple job. With a variety of adapters readily available, they can be fitted to most standard shower arms, including the swivel-type.

A family of 3 will take almost 1,100 showers per year! With conventional showerheads using 5 gallons of hot water per minute, and assuming 10 minutes per shower, the annual hot water usage would be 55,000 gallons. If the conventional showerheads were replaced with low-flow models rated at 2.5 gallons per minute, the hot water use would be cut in half, saving 27,500 gallons annually. If this water is electrically heated, the annual cost savings would be about $350*. If the water is heated by natural gas the cost savings would be approximately $135**. There would also be significant savings on your water bill.

*Assuming a typical electric water heater, with a 60° F temperature rise and a fuel cost of $.08/kWh
**Assuming a typical gas water heater, with a 60° F temperature rise and a fuel cost of $.60/therm

Standard Type: $8-$12
With shutoff valve: $10-$15
Designer and hand-held massage type: $15-$25+

Based on the typical costs shown above, the payback for installing low-flow showerheads is almost immediate, depending on the frequency of showers.