On Apr 9, 9:52�am, "Jeff" wrote:
Most dishwashers use the dryer element to further heat up the incoming water
anyway. �Dishwasher actually use much less water than most people realize.

However making the hot water hotter does mean you use less water from the
heated line side in showers and sinks. It will make the difference between
occasionally running out of hot water to rarely running out. I set my heater
higher than the recommended "mark" on the temp dial specifically to get more
shower time out of one tank full of hot water. We have pressure balancing
shower valves so there isn't the danger of full hot water in the shower if
someone flushes a toilet.

When we had our tank replaced a couple of years ago I had to specifically
decline a safety device that would add cold water to the hot water leaving
the tank if it detected it was higher than scalding temp. Apparently it is
now code for new construction around here. �In my mind I can't quite figure
out if cooling "very" hot water to "fairly" hot water in the hot water line
rather than at the shower fixture would reduce amount of running time for
showers from one full tank of hot water. I'm thinking it would act the same
as lowering the tank temperature so it would reduce the available run time..

Has anyone installed a hot water recirculator? The theory is that you keep
the water in the hot water line hot so that you do not require any run time
to get your shower or sink up to temperature.



- Show quoted text -

the recurircuate lines saves water but wastes energy unless you turn
it on specifically before using a fixture.......

the tempering valves prevent scalds, but keeping a tank hotter
increases standby losses, and leads to shorter lank life from the
thermal shock of very hot water and very cold water mixing.

there are no free lunches, gain a little here lose a little
there.........

i prefer a larger tank, with higher BTU, and a lower temperature so no
one can get scalded.........

your mileage may vary......

tankless owners see more wasted water since the tankless must detect
flow and turn on burners before hot water arrives