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There is more to the cost of WASTING water...
If any water dripping is warm or hot you are now adding up the cost rapidly!

The "WATER DOLLAR" cost becomes expensive when that water is being HEATED!

Watchdog in Action:
FIRST - If your domestic water is heated by your Heating unit that heats your whole house -
Is the temperature lowered for the summer and raised back up for the winter?

Oh, you say or think the service man should have done that...

Well you are right, he or she should have.

BUT unless you personally know the service person or know without a doubt - don't count on it!

If your Heating unit, that heats your house in the winter, also makes your Domestic Hot water, then you need to ask your Service Person to show you where is the Accustat on your Heating unit. A gray box in front or on the side is the common location. This photo on the left shows the accustat in front. This photo below shows you a close up.

So if your Heating unit is making your Hot water, ask your Service person to uncover the accustat box. When the cover is removed you will see two knobs. One is for the HIGH temperature setting and the other is for your LOW. Please see image below. During the Winter months you need your HIGH to be at 180 degrees and your low at 140 degrees so that you can heat your house. At the same time your Heating unit also heats your Domestic Hot water.

ATTENTION: An Energy Efficient House, when ALL energy saving steps are addressed correctly, the Accustat's HIGH temperature for the winter months can be set at 160 degrees for the HIGH and 120 degrees for the LOW.

Also if or when you have a separate Hot Water Heater (more info below) and an energy efficient house you may be able to use an Accustat that does not maintain temperature, thus saving much more.

In the Summer months, these two settings should be lowered, because you are no longer heating your house and only making Hot water. A HIGH of 140 and a LOW of 120 degrees is more than enough if your Heating unit is efficient and in proper working order.

Above shows temperature settings for warm weather months.
This simple step of lowering your HIGH and LOW temperature settings each season,
can save you a substantial amount of money and energy for America. The LO above the right red knob in the photo is for the LOW setting and HI is for the HIGH setting dial.(The "I" in "HI" is half covered by the wire)

Does your Hot water come out of the hot faucet with steam or is the water just scalding hot?
Then the temperature is set much higher than necessary on your Accustat!

Watchdog in Action: Having your Heating unit that is made to heat your whole house, come on to heat up just 5 gallons of water as it sits or passes through a coil inside your Heating unit is the least efficient way to make Domestic Hot water. Think of it... why would you have a Heating unit that uses, for example 210 thousand BTUs to heat a whole house, come on in the summer or maintain a minimum temperature all year long so you have 5 gallons of Hot water! Look into other options such as separate Hot Water Heaters, but if you cannot, then make sure you always set the High and Low temperatures in the Accustat accordingly as shown above for the season.

SECOND - Besides having an accustat, how else can I know if my Heating unit that heats my house in the winter, also makes my Domestic Hot water that I drink, wash, and bathe with?

If you DO NOT have a separate tank off to the SIDE of your Heating unit,
like some examples shown below, then your Heating unit is making your Hot Water.
The three different separate Hot Water Heaters shown below use oil, gas, electricity, in that order. They make Hot Water on their own, separate from your home Heating unit. They are more efficient than a house Heating unit because they use far less BTUs to make much more Hot water. Tank sizes vary for the size of your family and needs. Storing 50 or 75 gallons of Hot water also adds to the higher efficiency of a separate Hot Water Heater. Electric will be the most expensive and should be avoided. In fact, using electricity to make hot water can cost as much as using a Heating unit made to heat a whole house. The more efficient designs in Hot Water Heaters use oil as a fuel and gas. However you have to pay attention to the Yellow Guide Label and the efficiency rating of each design and model before buying one. Learn much more in our Heating Section on our site.

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Does your Hot water come out of the hot faucet with steam or is the water just scalding hot?
Then the temperature is set much higher than necessary on your separate Hot Water Heater for making your domestic Hot water!

Another device that makes Domestic Hot Water is known as an Instant Hot water heater. They come in many shapes and sizes to provide instant hot water from a unit mounted under the sink, on a wall, or in the basement. You can confirm the pros and cons to using this method with your Heating Service person, your plumber, or with us as a free member.

THIRD - DO NOT confuse a separate Hot water STORAGE Tank as a Separate Hot Water Heater. The photo below shows a Hot water Storage tank. This tank only stores hot water, it does not make hot water like the three tanks shown above. The Heating unit for the whole house is on the right in the image below and makes the Hot water all year long and sends the water to the Storage tank.

You can also see the accustat on the Front Right side of the Heating unit below.
To SAVE in the Summer months, the temperature settings should also be lowered, because you are no longer heating your house and only making Hot water. Again a HIGH of 140 and a LOW of 120 degrees is more than enough if your Heating unit is in proper working order.

Watchdog in Action: WHEN IS A HOT WATER STORAGE TANK BEST?
When the house heating system is not oversized with extra BTUs. In other words, when your Heating unit for your house has the appropriate amount of BTUs (or power) for the square footage of your house. If your Heating unit is oversized with BTUs for a 3,000 square foot house, when your house is only 1,200 square feet, you do not want this overpowered Heating unit coming on to make domestic hot water all year round. Even despite the fact about "storing" 75 gallons. You will be using way more in fuel to heat the water than compared to other methods, such as separate hot water heater.

Also DO NOT confuse an Expansion Tank that is attached to your
Heating unit as a separate Hot water heater.
The photos below show examples of an expansion tank:
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If you need additional clarification or have questions please join our Free MEMBERSHIP.
Once you are a member you can email us your questions and photos.
We will then try to provide you with additional helpful information.
For more details on saving water and energy, click on Next Page icon below:
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