In a common household, geysers are notorious energy guzzlers. There are a number of ways in which you can conserve energy, and these don’t only apply to the warmer seasons. By utilising these simple tips when it comes to your geyser, you could reduce your energy consumption and save money in the long run.
Turn your geyser temperature down to 60℃
Maintaining the temperature at around 60℃ naturally uses less energy than maintaining a temperature of 70℃. The ideal temperature, according to Powertime, is “between 55°C and 65°C. However if you want to save money, we would advise you to set it up at 55°C on average, since a lower temperature means less consumption. According to Eskom, switching the geyser’s thermostat temperature from 70°C to 60°C help[s] you achieve a small saving of 18kWh (= 5%).”
Adjusting the temperature of your geyser, however, means very little unless the geyser itself as well as the pipes are insulated.
Give your geyser a blankie
It’s not quite as ridiculous as it seems. These relatively inexpensive insulating blankets are readily available at most home renovation and DIY stores. The purpose of the geyser blanket is to provide an extra layer of thermal insulation. It is purposefully designed to be wrapped around the geyser itself in order to maximise the heat retention of your geyser. These blankets can either be foil or fibreglass, depending on your budget.
You can purchase one yourself, but keep in mind that the installation can be tricky. While you’re at it, don’t forget to insulate the water pipes leading from the geyser itself for at least the first 3 m as well since heat is often lost at here too.
Install a solar water heater
If you want a performance vehicle, you don’t buy something small. Solar heater panels need to be big in order to harness the most power they can – bigger is indeed better. As with most things solar, these are investments towards future cost savings. What a solar heater will ensure, however, is that you don’t drain power directly from Eskom’s overstrained grid.
The popularity of solar energy in South Africa is rapidly on the rise, and it’s no different for solar water heaters. According to Environment.co.za, “the benefits of solar geysers – not only for the individual homeowner, but society at large – are so significant as to completely overshadow the disadvantages”. The obvious disadvantage here is the upfront investment required to install the panels. But given the amount of money you could save over the lifetime of the geyser, you could easily pay off the money spent on the installation with the money you’ve saved on your energy bill.
If you’re interested in some of the myths and facts associated with energy conservation for your geyser, check out this fact sheet from Eskom. If you’re interested in more blogs from Titan Electrical , don’t forget to click here!
