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A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread. We've always thought our electricity bill is pretty low comparing with our neighbors (the highest bill we've ever paid was last month, at $80, for a 1600 sq ft place which runs completely on electricity), but using the tips I've leaned here, we just saved $28 on this month's bill. From $80 down to $52, that's 35% saving. Knowing what we need to do now, we think we could save even a little bit more next month.
Edit to add: The hot water comes out HOT!!!!! Scalding hot...so, if I turn down the temp on the hot water heater, (if I can find it, there are four units in this house), would that cut down on the electric bill?
Probably not much. Your HW heater switches on when the thermostat tells it to, and off when it gets back up. It would do about the same no matter where it was set. But the difference would come from how often you turn on a hot water tap, run some out, and have to heat up the replacement cold water to the preset temperature, which would take longer depending on how high that is. There is also some energy loss from the tank, which would be greater if t is kept higher.
It's importat to never turn on your hot tap unless you need hot water and plan to let it run long enough to get hot. If you turn on the hot and use a little when it's still cold and then turn it off before it gets hot, you have just put a lot of hot water in the pipes (where it will cool), and replaced it with cold, which now has to be heated. It's a bad habit a lot of people have, to just rinse off their hands they turn on the hot, but rinse in cold.
People in the US take so much for granted. People who are "poor" here, still have hot and cold running water, in their homes. And electricity to watch tv, use lights at night, and for cooking.
Really, few people in the US know the true meaning of poverty.
But instant water heaters are amazingly expensive, considering what they amount to. Mechanically very simple principle.
They are only expensive in the US. Next time you're in Europe or Asia, pick one up. They're affordable over there. I picked mine up in Italy. The funny thing is that it was "Made in the USA".
They are only expensive in the US. Next time you're in Europe or Asia, pick one up. They're affordable over there. I picked mine up in Italy. The funny thing is that it was "Made in the USA".
The ones sold in the USA probably have to meet some insane safety codes.
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