Author Topic: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water  (Read 3684 times)

John98098

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Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« on: December 20, 2014, 10:50:50 AM »
I've been tinkering with my hot water heater setting to try and go as low as possible. I noticed the other day that the sink faucet in the bathroom is much hotter than the shower. After searching around, I found that there is an adjustable governor inside the handle, which basically makes you crank your hot water heater much higher to have a warm shower, which is like driving with the brakes on. Here's the youtube video I used to learn the fix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2_uZ7wgV1I

agent_clone

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Re: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2014, 04:39:04 AM »
You know that you want your hot water heater to heat to a minimum temperature due to the bacteria right (specifically Legionarres Disease though there are probably others)?
http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/is-it-safe-to-turn-down-your-water-heater-temperature.html

I know that in Australia there is some sort of hot water temperature outflow limiter that makes it so that the hot water coming out is a maximujm of 50C, but the hot water in the tank will still be higher than that.  But this is probably not what your talking about...

I'm a red panda

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Re: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2014, 09:45:52 AM »
Our shower handle had a governor like this that we were SO happy to remove.

We keep our hot water heater at a reasonable temperature to prevent bacteria growth, but we kept having to turn it higher to get even a reasonable amount of hot water in the shower (and wasting a lot of water waiting for it to turn off).

When we finally figured out how to disable this, we were able to turn the hot water heater down just a bit, and now we only have to wait a few seconds, not a few minutes for the water to be hot enough to hop in.  If we want burning hot water we could have that too, but it is no longer necessary to turn it all the way up.

For over a year we were heating our water at the water heater, and then cooling it before it was delivered in the shower. What a waste!

dragoncar

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Re: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2014, 01:10:28 PM »
You know that you want your hot water heater to heat to a minimum temperature due to the bacteria right (specifically Legionarres Disease though there are probably others)?
http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/is-it-safe-to-turn-down-your-water-heater-temperature.html

I know that in Australia there is some sort of hot water temperature outflow limiter that makes it so that the hot water coming out is a maximujm of 50C, but the hot water in the tank will still be higher than that.  But this is probably not what your talking about...

So is the "vacation" setting on my heater safe?

Bob W

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Re: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2014, 01:20:37 PM »
Unless you're drinking your hot water I wouldn't worry about disease.  Set the hot water heater to the lowest setting that allows water to come out at the temp you prefer when it is set all the way to hot.

That way you aren't mixing in cold water.

Wrap your hot water heater using R13 insulation (1 batt should work) and duct tape for about 10 bucks.   Use caution if a gas heater.  Top it with insulation as well.

Don't use hot water in washer or for anything but showers.   In the shower Rinse 1 minute,  turn off,  lather 4 minutes,   rinse 1 minute.   You will use just 2 minutes of hot water per day per person.

All that should reduce your usage by $200 per year.   

agent_clone

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Re: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2014, 02:07:04 AM »
You know that you want your hot water heater to heat to a minimum temperature due to the bacteria right (specifically Legionarres Disease though there are probably others)?
http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/is-it-safe-to-turn-down-your-water-heater-temperature.html

I know that in Australia there is some sort of hot water temperature outflow limiter that makes it so that the hot water coming out is a maximujm of 50C, but the hot water in the tank will still be higher than that.  But this is probably not what your talking about...

So is the "vacation" setting on my heater safe?
Sure for when your on vacation.  You just want to heat it up again before using it for things like showers etc. The main thing is to have the weater heated to kill off the bacteria before use.

Unless you're drinking your hot water I wouldn't worry about disease.  Set the hot water heater to the lowest setting that allows water to come out at the temp you prefer when it is set all the way to hot.
You realise that you get legionairres disease by breathing in the bacteria right? Hance why occasionally you have news about outbreaks on the tv from office air conditioning units...

dragoncar

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Re: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2014, 02:39:27 AM »
You know that you want your hot water heater to heat to a minimum temperature due to the bacteria right (specifically Legionarres Disease though there are probably others)?
http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/is-it-safe-to-turn-down-your-water-heater-temperature.html

I know that in Australia there is some sort of hot water temperature outflow limiter that makes it so that the hot water coming out is a maximujm of 50C, but the hot water in the tank will still be higher than that.  But this is probably not what your talking about...

So is the "vacation" setting on my heater safe?
Sure for when your on vacation.  You just want to heat it up again before using it for things like showers etc. The main thing is to have the weater heated to kill off the bacteria before use.

Unless you're drinking your hot water I wouldn't worry about disease.  Set the hot water heater to the lowest setting that allows water to come out at the temp you prefer when it is set all the way to hot.
You realise that you get legionairres disease by breathing in the bacteria right? Hance why occasionally you have news about outbreaks on the tv from office air conditioning units...

But if I let it breed, then will my tank get slimy?

Maybe they should have tanks that stay at, say 120, and then once a day pulse up to 160 for half an hour

Primm

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Re: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2014, 04:22:34 AM »
Unless you're drinking your hot water I wouldn't worry about disease.  Set the hot water heater to the lowest setting that allows water to come out at the temp you prefer when it is set all the way to hot.

Actually it's aerosolised particles that cause legionella, the bug is completely safe if ingested but can kill you if it's inhaled.

dragoncar

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Re: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2014, 06:37:08 AM »
Unless you're drinking your hot water I wouldn't worry about disease.  Set the hot water heater to the lowest setting that allows water to come out at the temp you prefer when it is set all the way to hot.

Actually it's aerosolised particles that cause legionella, the bug is completely safe if ingested but can kill you if it's inhaled.

Good thing I don't regularly stand in an aerosolized stream of hot water, then!

Primm

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Re: Single Lever Shower Handles That Limit Hot Water
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2014, 04:32:34 PM »
Unless you're drinking your hot water I wouldn't worry about disease.  Set the hot water heater to the lowest setting that allows water to come out at the temp you prefer when it is set all the way to hot.

Actually it's aerosolised particles that cause legionella, the bug is completely safe if ingested but can kill you if it's inhaled.

Good thing I don't regularly stand in an aerosolized stream of hot water, then!

Couple of other things - you have to have legionella in the system, and you generally have to have a depleted immune system.

There was an outbreak (2 people either ended up in ICU or died, can't remember) a couple of years ago here. They put it down to the fact that the hospital involved had changed their hot water system to make it "safer" for patients by not heating the water as much so they didn't risk being burned. I work in a NICU and we tested all our taps and found legionella colonisation in about half of them. But it had possibly been that way since the place was built (about 4 years earlier) and we hadn't had any adverse effects, despite the fact that we were bathing our vulnerable respiratory impaired babies in the contaminated tap water. Because the water wasn't misted or vaporised the disease didn't take hold.

It's actually quite difficult to get legionella.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!