But there are a few ways to reduce these costs, thereby not only saving money but also protecting the environment at the same time.
Use water wisely
The most important thing is not to waste water unnecessarily. Therefore, this should always be turned off when soaping up while washing your hands or showering, but also when brushing your teeth. If possible, the toilet should only be flushed briefly and the lock button should be used. According to a comparative study by the University of Bonn, using a dishwasher requires an average of 50 percent less water and 28 percent less energy than washing dishes by hand. It is also advisable to run the dishwasher on the eco wash cycle. Also, fruit and vegetables should be washed in a bowl rather than under running water.
showering instead of bathing
Furthermore, the hot water consumption can be drastically reduced by showering instead of bathing. According to Stiftung Warentest, just heating the water for the bathtub requires around 6.5 kilowatt hours of electricity with an average hot water consumption of 160 liters per bath. Not even half as much water is used in the shower, 40 to 75 liters of hot water are sufficient here.
Use economy shower head
When showering, it also makes sense to use a water-saving shower head. According to the North Rhine-Westphalian consumer advice center, an energy-saving shower head saves around 50 percent of hot water consumption. The more efficient shower head is available from around 20 euros and has the same shower comfort as a conventional shower head, as only air is mixed with the water.
It should be noted, however, that not all energy-saving shower heads work with hydraulic flow heaters. For this purpose, reference is made to flow limiters from hardware stores.
Use sensible types of fittings
First of all, it is advised to always turn the lever on the faucet to cold after use. This makes it possible to decide anew each time you use it whether the cold water is sufficient for washing your hands. In addition, there are also energy-saving versions of fittings in which the flow rate is either automatically limited or can be determined individually. According to the consumer center, up to 30 percent of water can also be saved with an aerator from the hardware store.
Another trick to reduce hot water consumption is two-handle faucets in the shower. These are so-called thermostatic mixers, which ensure that the water is immediately available at the desired temperature. This prevents you from having to search for the desired temperature before you shower, thereby wasting water and energy.
Wash at the right temperature
Contrary to popular belief, laundry usually gets clean even at lower temperatures. Above all, the pre-wash is not necessary with today’s washing machines due to their high performance. Modern washing machines often offer an energy-saving mode in which attached sensors determine the degree of soiling of the laundry and then regulate the temperature independently. This prevents unnecessary energy or hot water from being wasted.
Heat in an environmentally friendly way
However, the most environmentally friendly way to save hot water is to support the hot water preparation with solar systems. According to co2online, a four-person household in a single-family house with central heating and a solar system can produce around sixty percent of the hot water. For this, however, a central heating system for hot water preparation must already be in place beforehand.
Editorial office finanzen.net
Image sources: rangizzz / Shutterstock.com