Save electricity with a hot water boiler: 11 useful tips to stop energy guzzlers

Almost every household has appliances that consume electricity all year round. From heating to boilers to household appliances - the electricity consumption per device and year can be very high depending on the energy price. One of the devices that consumes the most electricity is the hot water boiler - the power guzzler in every household. In this article, you will learn 11 useful tips on how to save electricity with a hot water boiler in order to reduce electricity consumption in your household.

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How does a hot water boiler actually work?

All boilers – also known as hot water tanks – work according to the same principle: they heat the tap water to a preset temperature and store it until use. This means that hot water is always available when you need it.

You may be familiar with the electric hanging storage system from home, which is often found in bathrooms. It usually holds 50 to 180 litres and supplies the bathroom and sometimes the kitchen sink with hot water. If the sink in the kitchen is further away, it makes sense to equip the kitchen sink separately with an undersink boiler. This holds around 5 or 10 liters. With the right boiler, you can reduce or even avoid energy losses.

To ensure that there is always enough hot water flowing from the tap in your home, with which you can take a hot shower, bathe or use the hot water elsewhere at any time, your hot water boiler needs a lot of energy. Therefore, there is enormous savings potential in hot water preparation. Read on to learn useful tips on how to save both energy and costs.

Setting the right temperature for your boiler

Ideally, you should set the temperature between 50°C and 60°C. Lower temperatures promote the growth of bacteria (legionella). If the temperature is too high, the storage system can calcify prematurely and the device could suffer considerable damage.

The boiler size should be adapted to the number of people:

1 to 2 people: 100 to 120 litres hot water boiler
3 to 4 people: 150 to 160 litres hot water boiler

This is important because the larger the boiler, the less heat is generated, especially if only a small amount of hot water is needed. However, if the hot water tank is too small, it cannot provide enough hot water. When the hot water is used up in the morning, you have to use the heating to generate heat during the day in order to have it again in the evening.

Realistically estimating water consumption

According to the German Association of Energy and Water Industries, 1 person needs an average of around 130 litres of water per day. The proportion of warm water is up to 50 litres per person per day. These values depend on the prerequisites and personal habits.

Producing hot water without a central heating system

With an electric boiler, you can produce hot water without a central heating system. The devices use electrical energy to heat water. With an integrated heater (cartridge heater), electrical energy is converted into thermal energy in the storage tank. This is transferred to the reservoir after drinking water.

If you only want to heat the water when needed, it is called a tankless water heater. The heating is used more often here and electricity consumption is increasing.

11 TiPps to save water and reduce costs

Take a shower instead of taking a bath.

About 120 to 150 litres of water are needed for a full bath, and a maximum of 50 litres for an economical 5-minute shower

Use a water-saving shower head.

An energy-saving shower head is available from as little as 25 euros and saves another 6 to 8 litres of water per minute of showering.

Don't wash clothes until you have a large amount together.

Use the economy programs (ECO program) for washing machines and dishwashers.

Only buy energy-efficient washing machines with an EU label A+++.

You can find out more about the EU label here.

Replace leaking taps immediately.

If possible, provide the toilet flush with an economy button.

Use a toothbrush cup when brushing your teeth and turn off the tap in between.

The hot water flow at the sink and kitchen sink can be reduced by using energy-saving attachments (aerators).

Regulate the hot water flow at the washbasin

by turning the wheel on the left angle valve clockwise – until the hot water jet becomes significantly lower. This is a very efficient measure to save money and less water is used - all with zero investment costs.

Deliberately set the handle of the mixer tap to "cold".

A simple trick to save costs on hot water is to deliberately set the handle of the mixer tap to "cold". If it is permanently in the middle, as many people prefer, hot water flows into the pipe every time hands are washed, no matter how brief, even though it usually does not reach the sink at all.