How To Make Hot Water Last Longer? Dead Simple Steps!

In this article, we are going to show you how to make hot water last longer by following some simple steps.

If you’re like most people, you probably use hot water for everything from making coffee to brushing your teeth. 

When there is never enough hot water, it can be frustrating, especially when you want to take those showers before or after bedtime.

This can happen often in households with many people because tanks are not limitless.

You can make hot water last longer with simple steps like adjusting settings in your water heater, getting a low-flow shower, avoiding simultaneous water usage, and reducing shower times.

But did you know that by following these simple steps, you can also save yourself a lot of time and energy in the long run?

Get A Low-Flow Showerhead

Ensuring hot water lasts longer starts with installing a showerhead with a lower flow rate.

With this type of showerhead, your water savings can be as high as fifty percent.

You won’t even notice the difference in how you feel or any difference in how long it takes to enjoy a shower.

However, at the end of the month, you’ll be glad that you made this change! With a low-flow showerhead, you can save water with minimal effort.

Installing it is easy and there are no major changes to your lifestyle besides narrowing the flow of the current showerhead.

Note: You can also install narrow taps in other hot water fixtures around the house and achieve the same result.

Reduce Your Shower Time

One major way to conserve and make your hot water last longer is by taking shorter showers.

It’s a hard habit to break, so it’s best to start small and try to change your shower time incrementally.

Rather than make a drastic change, take small steps towards conserving water and ensuring hot water lasts long.

See if you can cut your showers in half onto the weekdays and really go all out on the weekends.

Maybe try alternating a shower between yourself and someone else in your house every other day.

Take Baths Instead of Showers

You might be surprised to learn how little hot water is used when you take a bath.

A bath uses two gallons of hot water per minute on average, compared to five gallons for showering.

And within your home, this could help save you money on your utility bill and possibly make hot water in the tank last longer. 

Insulate Your Old Water Heater 

If your old water heater is not insulated, you can save a lot of money by insulating it. You can do this by wrapping your water heater with a blanket.

It will insulate your tank, reducing the heat loss by 40%.

By using a hot water heater blanket, you can save money by prolonging the time until your hot water runs out.

Insulating the reservoir will keep heat in and make it more efficient. A well-insulated tank will cause a heater to work less hard. This is an easy one-time task.

Install A Tankless Heater

A tankless water heater provides you with hot water on demand without waiting for the heat to build up in a tank.

These kinds of heaters heat the water constantly, so there’s no lag time between heating and use and they can be a winner for those that need it often.

It means that you’re able to have a better supply of hot water, so you won’t have to fight with your roommates over who gets the shower first!

You can actually end up conserving water with tankless heaters as there is a limited time lag with them.

They provide hot water almost instantly, reducing the time you have to wait.

Fact: Tankless water heaters only heat the water required and have a longer lifespan than traditional water heaters that require a tank to maintain or replace parts when broken.

Clear Out Sediment

It is not unusual for sediment to collect in a water tank making the build-up of the deposits at the bottom of the tank as well as less water getting to be heated. 

It can cause the water heater to stop functioning properly.

A water heater flush should be done to ensure that the water heater will continue to function well and that your household doesn’t run out of hot water.

Get a Water Softener

One of the best ways to prevent mix-up and dilution is implementing filtration on a sediment trap (or something alike) prior to any water entering the tank.

A water heater might be reducing its efficiency because of sediment piling up in the tank.

One way on how to make hot water last longer is to avoid installing a water softener to stop the build-up of scales.

Scales make it harder for the heater to fill the tank and make hot water run out quicker.

Note: If there is a 40 gallon tank with 5 gallons of leftover sediment, now there is less than 35 gallons of water in the heater.

Change Your Water Heater Filter

By doing this, you’ll help to remove impurities and debris from the water, which will make the heater hotter and more efficient.

Removing debris and impurities increase tank space for hot water. It’s a simple process that can be done in just a few minutes.

Check Your Water Heater For Leaks

If there are any leaks in your system, they will cause the water to heat up slowly and unevenly, which can lead to problems down the line.

If you notice any signs of leakage, be sure to get them fixed as soon as possible. 

Use Cold Water For Laundry

Perhaps the ultimate way on how to get hot water to last longer is to do laundry with cold water.

Cold water can extend the life of your hot water tank and reduce your utility bill. Not only will you save more water, but money as well.

This misconception is that clothes need to be washed in hot water to get them clean when they actually don’t.

Here are more reasons why doing laundry with cold water is a better idea:

• Washing clothes in cold water protects colors, prevents fading, and makes them last longer. Hot boiling water can shrink some fabrics and make them fall apart more quickly.
• By washing your clothes in cold water you reduce wear and tear on your washer. This greatly reduces the inconvenience of frequent laundry emergencies, meaning you spend less time at the laundromat.

Turn off Sink Taps

Think about how much water is wasted when you leave your shower or hot water tap running in the sink.

A simple habit like turning off the taps while you brush your teeth or shave will help cut down on this past-time, and it’s easy to implement by yourself.

It helps if everyone in your home participates, so make sure you talk to them about it!

This is important when washing dishes or vegetables. Turn off the faucet before those tasks, and no need to have the water running continuously.

Get a New and Better Water Heater

Replacing your hot water heater can benefit you in many ways.

Not only will the replacement help save you money on your energy bill, it will also help to increase the lifespan of the hot water heater.

Most importantly, your household won’t run out of hot water quicker compared to the old water heaters.

More efficient and newer models of water heaters will heat the water faster, resulting in fewer chances of running out of hot water.

Note: It is always a good idea to replace your hot water heater if you’re concerned that it’s no longer heating efficiently.

Adjust Settings in Water Heater

Does turning up water heater make hot water last longer?

Absolutely.

Try resetting the thermostat on the water heater. Try simply raising the temperature to a desired level.

The water heater’s temperature should be 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent diseases, but only as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, it will cause scalding.

The logic behind turning up the water heater is that households tend to use less water if it’s hotter compared to if it’s fairly lukewarm.

Final Thought

If you’re plagued by hot water constantly running out, you’re probably wondering how to make hot water last longer.

Right off the bat, it’s important to note that the length of time that the hot water lasts in your home depends on how frequently you take long showers.

Other ways to make hot water last long is to check the water heater’s thermostat – a higher setting will use more water, so adjust accordingly.

Turn on the cold water line – this will conserve hot water. Finally, don’t run the faucet for long periods of time – that way, less water is used overall.