Does Cold Weather Impact Your Water Heater?

Brrrr. It’s the time of year here in Colorado where we get the most varied temperatures. You may wake up to a heavy chill or even frost in the air. A jacket is mandatory if you step outside even for a moment. Then in a matter of hours, you can be enjoying blue skies and a lot of sunshine, feeling like a balmy summer day once again.

And because of the varied temperatures throughout the day, dipping your hand under the water stream when you turn on the shower can give you a surprise. No more warm water like in the summer – instead you find a steady stream of cold water, and it seems like it takes longer and longer for it to warm to temperature.

But is that the case? Does cold weather really impact your water heater?

Two things come into play with this question.

First, water freezes solid below 30 degrees. Which means overall the water coming into your home will never reach a temperature lower than that. If it does, you’ll have a much bigger problem than your water stream seeming to be a bit chilly.

Second, a water heaters job is to heat the temperature to your requested temperature. If you set it for 100 degrees, it will warm the water to 100 degrees.

Yes, it may seem like the stream of water coming out of the fixture when you first turn it on may be cooler than normal. Factor in that you may be colder and adjusting to the temperature change yourself, which will definitely impact your senses when you put your hand under the water stream.

If your water heater is in good working condition, cold weather will not have an impact on temperature. When you request hot water by turning on a fixture, it will pull water up from the main, through the water heater where it warms the water, and eventually through the plumbing system and out through your fixture. Guaranteed.

If you are looking for an on-demand system that allows you to immediately have warm water at your disposal, you may wish to attach a hot water circulation system to your plumbing. Its an affordable unit that simply attaches to your existing system, and gives you the convenience of having an immediate stream of water whenever you turn on your hot water tap.

If you’re unsure about your water heater warming up your water correctly, call an experienced plumber like Quality First Service Group in Denver. We will come check your water heater and let you know if you need maintenance, repairs or a brand new water heater installed.