hot water

coolcats

I have a hot water tank, it has a timer on it. Am I better off using the timer so we have hot water every day at a set time or times or am I better of putting it on manually an hour or so before we need it? Have realised there are some days we just don't use any hot water from the tank so seems silly heating it if we don't use it on the timer. And will an hour be enough to heat it from cold or should it be bit longer.

muckybutt

I have ours on a timer and like you there are days the water might not get used, however providing the tank is well insulated then it will ...and is cheaper to heat a tank upto temp if the tank is already warm hence my decision to have it on a timer.

matelodave

It's always cheaper to heat the water when you need it and just as much as you need as well rather than keeping the tank warm all the time - a warm or hot tank loses more heat than a cold one. Makes sure you've got plenty of insulation round your tank - even a foam lagged one will benefit from another insulating jacket over the top (try B&Q or Wickes).
If you do decide to heat water on demand, make sure you remember to turn it off as well otherwise any benefit will be lost.
As a rough estimate it will take about 6kwh to heat 115 litres (25 gallons) of water from 15 to 60 degrees. So a 3kw heater will take two hours although it does depend on the where the heater is situated in the tank how much water actually gets heated - the lower it is in the tank, then more water gets heated. Try it for an hour to see if it's enough, if not try for an extra half an hour or so until you get enough. You can get "one-shot" immersion heater timers which you just press the button and you get a single timed period

The other way to save is by reducing the water temperature (adjust the thermostat) and to use less hot water - take shorter showers, shallower baths and don't let it run down the sink when washing.

coolcats

I'm in a middle flat, the tank is on the same level as the rooms. It's very new and as far as I know the temperature is safety set to be child safe. It doesn't have a jacket on but I have been heating the water on the timer at 6am, it still is warm at 6pm (hand hot to wash up).
Up to now I've just kept it set to come on each day for an hour and had it extra in the evening if had bath in evening. But realised there are a few days when the hot water doesn't get used at all as no bath or washing up done. (shower is separate). Maybe once or twice a week. So its to see if this is the better option or having it on as required.