Take showers downstairs?

If your in my basement you would be using a sump pump to get the drain water out. Use a bucket to collect the cold water before the hot water comes. Man up and shower without heating the water, it's invigorating. Shower WW2 Navy style. Wet yourself down, then turn water off, then soap up, then rinse off. (Marines don't take baths). My shower head works just fine with a 3/8 PEX supply that holds much less water. Hot water rises so a heat trap pipe run keeps it in the tank and not radiant heating my house all summer. Out the top of the tank curved down to the floor then back up. Works quite well. While your in the shower could you make use some coleslaw and maybe see what's wrong with the garbage disposer?

 

Each gram (1 mL) of water can transfer 2238 Joules of latent heat. Ideally homes are constructed out of vertical tubes of water. This provides good thermal mass that helps maintain the interior temperature. Because most of us live in solid structures (wood, brick, concrete, wallboard) we control temperature through adding or subtracting heat. You can take advantage of a very limited amount of sensible heat from your shower, but this is lost as soon as you open a window or door and shut off the shower.

 

What's wrong with the garbage disposer, is that you have one.

 

Garden hose heated outside shower. Hose bib with a y connector. The hot branch has 100ft of filled 3/4" garden hose that is coiled across an asphalt driveway or roof. The cool branch is shaded. Tie together at thermostatic mixing valve at shower as I have measured 170f+ coming out of hoses in full sun in AZ and NM. You can't get any fresher than veggies cooked right on the vine.

Instantaneous water heaters have annoying minimum required flow rates. Always end up washing my hands in cold water.

 

Kramer/Seinfeld living in the shower episode. Everybody got that right?

I get where your coming from. I would prefer a dry sink. Drain right into a bucket that you dump on the compost pile. Nothing to clog.

If the supply line between your water meter and your shutoff valve/pressure regulator at the house started leaking how long before you would notice if ever?

 

In this area it takes the same amount of energy to produce drinking water as non-potable water. We have one-fifth of the world's fresh water supply, and 80% of it is lost to evaporation. Most of the rest drains into the ocean. The tiny fraction that we use for household use is part of a closed cycle, where it goes back into the lakes for reuse.

Still, pumping requires energy, so conservation is always a good thing.

Tom

 

You can get one of these cool shower heads (or an adapter) to reduce the amount of water being wasted.

http://evolveshowerheads.com/

I know some people have a habit of multitasking while waiting for shower water to warm up, and sometimes get caught up and end up having wasted tons of water. This showerhead helps in that regard. The shower head lets the cold water run through and as soon as it reaches 95 degrees, the heat sensor cuts the water down to a trickle automatically until you pull the lever. I know this thread is about the cold water being wasted but this is also a solution to help reduce water waste. But for those people who let the water run even if the water is hot, this will help to reduce that waste. Then the water is ready when you're ready to actually shower.

Even if you don't want a new shower head you can buy the little adapter ($30) and it will make your current shower head act like one of theirs.

Yay for saving water!

 

I'm running a GFX for the last 13 years and love it this one extracts about 50% of the heat lost during showing. a couple pics of how it works...Paul

 

I was about to set this up and try it (minus the mixing valve) until I decided to do the arithmetic. A 100' 5/8" hose + a 1.5 gallon-per-minute shower head = a 1 minute hot shower. It's a clever idea but a garden hose is too small. You need a 100' 2" pipe for a ten minute shower, using only the water in the pipe.

 

EVnut used to have these on his website ... but I can't find 'em any more. Costco on-line carries a similar hot water recirc' device (at least they used to) and we opted for costcos due to the warranty in perpetuity. We have a similar type of equipment for hot water in the kitchen (instant hot) for coffee, soup, tea, dish rinse etc. Our tankless Noritz water heater takes about 40 seconds (45 seconds to the upstairs bathrooms) to get hot to the kitchen, so between these 2 goodies (which ultimately run off our PV solar), we don't waste to much fresh water. Then you see hundreds of acres of golf grass being wasted on 110 degree Las Vegas golf courses, and you have to ask your self, 'why bother'.


.

 

Hi burritos--

If you want to save a few $ on your gas bill, turn the water heater's temperature down just to the point where you can take a hot shower by using straight hot water. That way you aren't mixing cold water with the hot water that you paid $ to heat up and keep heated for other 23+ hours a day you aren't taking in the shower

 

But then the dishes don't come clean, and the family suffers more illness...tried that, with less than great results.

 

Hi hyo silver--

You mileage may vary with this one? I've never noticed any difference in how easily my dishes get cleaned. Either that or I just take hotter showers than most? I was able to shave about 10-15% off my gas bill this way, though.

 

Really? I kind of doubt that.

Do you have a link to the web page of your water provider?

 

Upgrading Well Water Disinfection Systems | Water & Wastes Digest magazine - Water and Wastewater Treatment

"The City of Albuquerque depends on groundwater from 93 deep aquifer wells to supply drinking water to more than 400,000 users. The city is fortunate to have this source of water relatively free of bacteria. However, it must use disinfection systems to meet EPA and local regulations for water quality in its extensive storage and distribution facilities. "

NSF Consumer Information: Well Water

Municipal Well Drilling - Klimek Brothers Well Drilling

Find New England Sites - SAVAGE MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY

 

On conventional hot water heaters that maintain a given amount of hot water, I insulate (wrap) the entire water heat four times, including the hot and cold pipes, space permitting. On demand or instant hot water heaters can make us of a slave tank that allows water to "warm up" before continuing to the point of use. It is always more cost effective to hold onto what you already have (versus "go get more").

 

Of course it may. Our dishes looked clean enough, but after a nasty round of colds not long after I lowered the water temperature, I turned it back up and they seemed to go away. Maybe it had something to do with our kids being quite young at the time, or maybe it was just coincidence. We really did seem to be healthier by using fairly hot water in the dishwasher.

Covering the fridge in pink foam was a success, though - at least as far as energy consumption was concerned. And the kids loved being able to stick things all over it, but I was told none too politely that the aesthetics were less than desirable.

 

Two points,, demand hot water, or ideally solar heated hot water augmented with demand.

Second, I don't think there is much evidence that water temp has much effect on the sanitary result of too cool water. Unless you are machine washing with a super heat cycle you are not going to kill micro organisms with water that you can actually put your hands in,, even with rubber gloved hands.

Icarus

 

Ha. You can't be serious. Our water provider is the village. They don't even have a web page for the village, let alone the water system. I could have one of the two DPW guys call you if that would help.

Tom

 

According to OSHA, domestic hot water heaters need to be at least 140°F to avoid the risk of Legionnaires' disease. The water should be at least 122°F at the faucet. On the other hand they warn about the risk of scalding:

Here is the link:
Legionnaires' Disease eTool: Facts and FAQs

Tom