Turn Down the Dial on Your Water Heater

Check out your water heater's temperature setting and try lowering it to 120°F. Water heaters are extremely inefficient, and the higher the temperature setting, the more energy they waste. Besides, you don't want to scald your tootsies in the bath!

Water heaters typically account for about 13 percent of a household's utility expenses. If you lower your water heater setting from 150°F to 120°F, you could reduce its energy demand by up to 15 percent-saving you more than $30 per year.

If every home in the U.S. lowered its water heater setting by just 10°F, the energy savings could total more than 96 trillion BTU-enough to meet the mile-high water heating needs of every household in Denver, CO, for more than 15 years.

U.S. Department of Energy
Buildings Energy Data Book (PDF)
U.S. Census Bureau: Number of U.S. households
U.S. Census Bureau: Number of Denver households