DESIGN AND INSTALLATION

As much as 60 percent of your hot water bill is due to heat loss from the tank and associated pipe work. This can be reduced through careful design and installation.

Keep hot water pipes as short as possible to minimise heat loss. In new or renovated homes, locate wet areas close together with the water heater close to all points of hot water use. If this is not possible, locate it close to the kitchen where small, frequent amounts of hot water are usual.

Estimate your hot water needs accurately to ensure your system is not oversized or undersized for your household. If storage system tanks are too small for the number of people in the house hot water can run out. If the tank is too large, operating costs will be excessive.

Storage systems lose heat through the tank walls. Reduce heat loss by wrapping the tank with extra insulation. Ensure that the air supply to gas systems is not affected.

In cool and cold climates try and locate the tank inside as part of a drying or heating cupboard.
This will save heat leakage to cold air and re-use leaked heat for drying.

Insulate hot water pipes, particularly externally exposed pipe leading from the water heater to the house and the pipe leading to the relief valve (on storage systems). Note: Standard lagged hot water pipes are inadequate external protection in cold and cool temperate climates. Apply additional insulation or "lagging".

For storage systems consider installing a timer to ensure water is not heated when it's not needed and a switch so the system can be turned off when you go on holiday.

Design new homes with a roof pitch and orientation suitable for a solar water heater. You may not want to install one now but it leaves the option open for the future. A north-facing roof with a pitch of between 22o and 40o is usually adequate.