How to Make Hot Showers Last Longer

A hot shower takes the chill off during cold mornings to relieve tension and ease your anxiety. For some, the little drops of hot water feel like they are massaging every part of your body. Here are some ways to keep the temperatures in your shower from dropping too low.

Make your water heater more efficient by draining the tank completely at least once a year. This helps remove any minerals and sediments that have deposited inside the tank, which can potentially damage it later on.

An insulating blanket around your water heater tank can help retain heat longer. This will also allow it to use less energy than normal and help keep your heating costs down.

Invest in a low-flow aerator or flow restrictor that uses less water. Using less water will, of course, keep more hot water in your tanks. You enjoy hot showers for more days while cutting down on water and heating bills.

If your bathrooms are far from the water heater, install a hot water circulation system so you don't need to wait too long for the hot water to reach the tap. As you don’t have to let as much cold water run through before the water gets hot, this also slashes water consumption.

Typical Plumbing Leak Locations

As leaks can happen anywhere within your home's plumbing system, finding its sources may prove to be difficult. Leaks often lead to costly water bills, but taking the time to hunt them down can help you reduce your home utility expenses. Here are some of the most common places where you can find water leaks in your home and what you can do to fix them.

Holding a large amount of pressure caused by heat, hot water tanks tend to develop leaks quite easily, especially at their pressure relief valves. Check for hissing sounds at these valves, which is a sure sign of a leak. If these valves are connected directly to a drain, you may have to remove the drain pipe to detect any signs of a leak.

Mechanical parts wear down over time; the tank of your toilet bowl has quite a few of these. Take the lid off the tank and listen for any hissing sounds. Occasionally, rust on the hinges supporting the bobber can keep it from floating all the way up, causing the valve on the tank to remain open.

A garden hose with a watering attachment connected to a tap will eventually develop a leak due to water pressure. With the tap on and the watering attachment closed, check for leaks along the hose line and at the connection points.