On Oct. 16, there was an article titled “Cold to comfort” on page A1. The subject concerned various methods for homeowners to minimize the amount of heating oil being used. One very good method was not mentioned.

After the furnace, the water heater is the second-biggest fuel consumer in most homes. Many homes have regular, prolonged periods of time when nobody is using any hot water at all. Nevertheless, during those periods, the heater keeps right on wasting fuel or electricity by repeatedly reheating that unused water, right up to the maximum setting.

With an electronic timer installed, the maximum water temperature can be set very low during all nonuse periods, say at 60 or 80 degrees. It can also be set to automatically return to normal temperature just before hot water usage normally starts in the morning. Or, for a certain number of hours, beginning just before the family returns home each day.

These timers are easy to install and set, plus they can have multiple on-off settings. From personal experience, I know that they are an excellent (and wise) money-saving investment.

Roland Fleming, Auburn