Water heaters can bring so much comfort to a home by making your water warm and hot when you need it most. From relaxing hot showers to washing and cleaning dishes, the water temperature is determined by your water heater.
At Lorenz Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning, we often get customers calling asking why their hot water doesn’t last as long as it usually does. Part of the challenge is the weather outside. When it is in the colder months like October through February outdoor temperatures have consistently gotten cold enough to affect the groundwater temperatures which can have a huge impact on the output of your water heater.In the summer months, the groundwater temperature is much higher and your water heater doesn’t have to work as hard to recover. However, in the winter, the colder incoming water not only affects recovery time but also how quickly that first tank of water is cooled off which leads to running out of hot water quicker.
We also get asked, “How hot should I have my water heater set for”? This can vary from person to person but typically you will want to leave your water heater set to the factory “hot” setting which is approximately 120 degrees. Temperatures set above this increase the risk of scalding, which is no fun, so we recommend installing Thermostatic Mixing Valve(s) to prevent scalding.Another way to keep your water heater producing the hot water you want is by using a tank booster. It can be a great product that does just that, boosts your water tank in assisting your water heater’shot water output year-round. It is a mixing valve that is installed on the water heater which allows you to turn up the temperature setting on the water heater but control the outgoing temperature. All this can increase your hot water capacity by as much as 35%! It can also help offset the colder groundwater in the winter and your utility bill.
Your friends at Lorenz can help you know what is best for your home. They will look at all the variables and find out if a tank booster or thermostat mixing valve is right for you. And if you’re thinking about water heaters and wondering if you should go tankless, check out our other blog here
Lorenz Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning are your friends in plumbing, heating, and air. Call us anytime 417-863-1122
