Hot water: Water heating accounts for around a third of energy used in an average New Zealand home. The most cost-effective way to reduce hot water energy consumption is to reduce the flow rate of showers and properly insulate any hot water cylinders.
Why having energy efficient hot water is important
There are many different water heating systems, and we’ve covered a few of these here. All systems and pipework should be insulated where possible. For more information on choosing a hot water system, see the Gen Less website.
Showers are one of the biggest users of hot water in a home. Making them water efficient pays dividends not only on your water usage, but on energy as well. Low flow shower heads can be easily installed, and even cheaper flow restrictors are available from hardware stores – just be sure to install them on mains pressure systems only, as they can damage a low-pressure cylinder.