This question sounds a bit crazy to me but after all the years living
in our home (since new in '98) I've decided to ask.

My wife and I live in a house with 2 gas hot water heaters (2 story
house). We've noticed since we lived in the house that on milder days
the hot water from the shower heads doesn't feel as hot as when the
outside temperatures are colder. I don't think it's our imagination
because we notice the position of the hot/cold water handle of the
shower (it doesn't vary a lot but I think you can see a difference).
This doesn't seem to be the case tho for the faucets else where in the
house.... they always put out hot water when the hot water is turned
on.

Do the shower heads or its plumbing have some kind of sensor for
regulating how hot the water will come out based on surrounding
temperatures? Seems overall to me to be a good feature if even I'm
losing my marbles.

jim wrote:

This question sounds a bit crazy to me but after all the years living
in our home (since new in '98) I've decided to ask.

My wife and I live in a house with 2 gas hot water heaters (2 story
house). We've noticed since we lived in the house that on milder days
the hot water from the shower heads doesn't feel as hot as when the
outside temperatures are colder. I don't think it's our imagination
because we notice the position of the hot/cold water handle of the
shower (it doesn't vary a lot but I think you can see a difference).
This doesn't seem to be the case tho for the faucets else where in the
house.... they always put out hot water when the hot water is turned
on.

Do the shower heads or its plumbing have some kind of sensor for
regulating how hot the water will come out based on surrounding
temperatures? Seems overall to me to be a good feature if even I'm
losing my marbles.

Just a SWAG, but with the good insulation we have these days, it could
be that your waterheater just doesn't come on very often when the
outside temp is higher. When it's cold out, it will cycle more often.
So, on a warm day, you are likely to get in the shower after the heater
has been languishing just above its trip point.

"William W. Plummer" wrote in message
...
jim wrote:

This question sounds a bit crazy to me but after all the years living
in our home (since new in '98) I've decided to ask.

My wife and I live in a house with 2 gas hot water heaters (2 story
house). We've noticed since we lived in the house that on milder days
the hot water from the shower heads doesn't feel as hot as when the
outside temperatures are colder. I don't think it's our imagination
because we notice the position of the hot/cold water handle of the
shower (it doesn't vary a lot but I think you can see a difference).
This doesn't seem to be the case tho for the faucets else where in the
house.... they always put out hot water when the hot water is turned
on. Do the shower heads or its plumbing have some kind of sensor for
regulating how hot the water will come out based on surrounding
temperatures? Seems overall to me to be a good feature if even I'm
losing my marbles.


I have found this phenomena also. This is in no way deliberate. My guess
is that it is caused by the fact that on cold days the cold water coming
into the water heater is colder than it is on moderate days. This somehow
affects the thermo/hydrodynamics of the system (the thermostat that turns on
the flame is located at the bottom of a gas heater, close to where the cold
water comes in) which in turn ends up with hotter water than normal at the
top of the heater from where it exits to go to your shower. Anyone with a
more knowledgeable thought?
--
Peace,
BobJ