According to the Department of Energy, water heating accounts for around 20 percent of home energy costs. Hot water will always be a necessity, but there are a few ways you can reduce energy waste when heating your water. Use these two tips to improve your water heater's efficiency.

1. Insulate Your Water Heater and Water Lines 

A significant amount of wasted energy in water heaters results from ambient heat loss. Without proper insulation, heat will readily transfer from your hot water system to the much cooler air around it. This effect occurs around uninsulated hot water lines as well as your water heater tank itself.

Foam pipe covers are an excellent solution for insulating hot water lines because they are affordable and easy to install. Start by wrapping any exposed water lines you can access near your water heater and in your basement, attic, and crawl spaces. For even greater water heater efficiency, enlist a plumber to insulate the water lines behind your walls.

A water heater blanket makes it easy to slow heat loss from your hot water tank. Insulating water heater blankets are made with fiberglass or denim insulation wrapped in foil or vinyl. If your hot water tank is warm to the touch, it may have inadequate insulation. Wrapping your water heater with an insulating blanket could reduce its operating costs by 5 to 15 percent annually.

2. Install a Water Heater Timer

Under normal circumstances, your water heater keeps the water in the tank hot at all times. This ensures that hot water is always available right when you need it. Unfortunately, it also means your water heater is using energy continuously. In most homes, there are several hours out of the day when hot water will be seldom needed.

A water heater timer is a device that helps to overcome this problem. A programmable timer can easily be integrated with your existing water heater to give you finer control of its energy usage. You can use a timer to heat up water at a set time each day when you need it for tasks like doing laundry, washing dishes, and showering. This way, you can save energy without sacrificing convenience.

Using these tips in conjunction with regular professional maintenance will keep your water heater running at optimal efficiency. If you're concerned your water heater may be wasting energy, call a plumber to inspect your water heater for more energy-saving advice.

Contact a local plumber to learn more.