As a necessary component of any home, water heaters typically use a significant amount of energy. In celebration of World Water Day, we thought we would highlight energy-efficient water heaters and what impact switching could potentially offer your home and budget.

We recently heard Jackson EMC spokesperson Ty Pennington explain in a Ty Talk that water heaters are the second biggest user of electricity in most homes, responsible for up to 19 percent of total electricity cost. There are several preventative measures that can be taken to lower cost and extend the life of a water heater. Two free ideas to lower cost are lowering the water heater’s temperature or installing an insulated blanket around the tank. If you need to replace your water heater, use this as an opportunity to upgrade to a more energy-efficient, electric smart water heater.

Designed to perform more efficiently and last up to three times longer than standard copper elements, the A.O. Smith Conservationist features upper and lower Phoenix heating elements. As a bonus, the A.O. Smith Conservationist provides quality assurance with a standard 10-year limited tank and parts warranty.

For us, the most impressive feature of this unit is how it is controlled and communicated with when compared with traditional water heater units. Connecting the A.O. Smith Conservationist to a compatible energy management system provides seamless control of how the unit operates. A smartphone can adjust the water heater to energy saver or vacation mode instead of running normally. Additionally, this unit is also smart grid-enabled, meaning it can detect low power consumption within the nearby network and only run when it would be most cost-effective, helping the environment while alleviating energy costs.

“Energy-efficient living in your home is really about doing more while consuming less,” Pennington explains in the video. “That’s something we can all do today!”

Serving more than 220,000 members, Jackson EMC strives to be the best, forward-thinking, innovative energy supplier. Contact our friends at Jackson EMC by calling 770-822-3211 to schedule a Home Energy Evaluation today and begin your path toward an energy-efficient home.