5 tips for saving money on your hot water

1. Insulate your cylinder

First, check your hot water system’s insulation. Cylinders and pipes installed before about 2002 generally aren’t well insulated – you can buy cylinder wraps from hardware stores for about $60 and pipe insulation from $5 per metre (ask for “thermal pipe lagging”). New cylinders lose less heat with extra insulation, but could still benefit from an insulating wrap.

2. Think about your electricity plan

You can also save money by running your hot water cylinder only at night, but you’ll need to be on one of the following electricity plans:

• Controlled, where you have separately wired appliances (normally the hot water cylinder) that the electricity company can switch off for a few hours each day during peak times in return for a lower electricity price.
• Time-of-use, where the amount you pay for all electricity changes depending on the time you use it, with lower night and off-peak tariffs.

Not sure which type of power plan you're on? Check your latest electricity bill, or contact your retailer to find out.

3. Install an efficient showerhead

Installing an efficient showerhead can save you hundreds of dollars per year. The rule of thumb is your shower is wasting water if it fills a 10L bucket in less than a minute. Replace your inefficient showerhead with one with a flow rate of less than 9L per minute. The showerhead will save water while still giving a good combination of comfort and effectiveness.

4. Wash in cold water

A cold wash is all you need for most loads of washing and will cost you a lot less than a warm one. A warm wash in a front loader costs three times more than a cold wash. A warm wash in a top loader costs six times more than a cold one.

5. Check the temperature

A hot water cylinder will heat up to above 60°C once a day to kill bacteria. However, if the temperature from the tap itself is consistently over 55°C, it'll be a dead giveaway that things may be set too high in the cylinder. It’s best to call in a tradie to help with the task of checking if the temperature can be adjusted down and save you power.