You probably don’t think about it twice when you turn the shower on or fill a sink to wash the dishes, but hot water is one of those modern luxuries that’s indispensable to our daily lives. We use it everywhere, and that use is reflected in our power bills.
In fact, about 25% of household energy consumption in Australia goes into keeping those water tanks nice and toasty. If that sounds like a familiar story then you’ve probably already tried cutting back on the hot showers to control your bills. But, for people wanting to save even more money, you can cut your power bills down to size with the help of a hot water tank timer.
How does a Hot Water Timer Work?
The conventional electric hot water tanks you find in homes all over Australia work by heating water with a small electric element. Over the course of a day, as you use the hot water and as it cools naturally, your tank will refill and the element will come back on to make sure the water inside is maintained at a steady temperature.
Just like a timer, you could put on any other circuit, putting a timer on an electric hot water system changes the time of day it runs to suit your needs. For some, that might be during the day when their solar panels are producing the most power, and for others that might be during the night when electricity costs less. Whatever the case, timers allow you the freedom to program your water tank to run at the hours that cost you the least.
Pairing Hot Water With Your Solar
One of the best ways to use a hot water timer is to pair it with the solar panels on your roof.
Solar panels produce the most power in the middle of the day when most of us are out of the house at work. The power they make is fed back into the electricity grid rather than being used for the appliances around your home. With a hot water timer, you can set your tank to heat up during the day when your solar panels are producing enough power to offset the cost entirely.
Keep in mind that your solar system will need to be matched to the size of your hot water tank and any other appliances you want to run at the same time. Most heating elements won’t turn on until they have a sufficient power supply, so if your solar panels don’t produce enough power then your hot water tank will draw expensive mains power instead.
Do I Need a Water Heater Timer?
Everyone’s daily life looks a little different, and it means there is no easy answer to whether a hot water timer will save you any money on your power bills. To see a benefit from a hot water timer you need to consider how you use your hot water throughout the day and how it will interact with any solar panels you have. You’ll need to talk to your electrician about your hot water use to find out if a timer system is right for you.
Want to Install a Hot Water Tank Timer? Contact S&J Plumbing and Gasfitting Today!
If your power bills are getting out of hand then the experienced team at S&J Plumbing and Gasfitting would love to help. We’ll assess whether a water heater timer is a right choice for your family and get it installed so that you can start seeing savings sooner. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like more information or want to book an appointment!