Water heater water is cold ... preheat cold water using staging tank
If
your electric water heater is not working
See troubleshooting steps
Water heater forums: 1 2 3 4 5
See troubleshooting steps
Water heater forums: 1 2 3 4 5
During winter, staging tank in basement or crawlspace warms cold water using ground temperature see groundwater temp map
Buy scratch-n-dent 20-30 gallon water heater for staging tank. Do not connect electricity. Insulate pipes.
Net energy gain when staging tank heats from natural ground warmth or heat-pump exchanger or sun exposure
Copper tubing can be used to make water resevoir. Copper lasts longer than steel tank <> 320 feet of 3/4" tube = 20 gallon
Summer: Staging tank or copper tube located in sunny location gives net energy benefit in daytime summer hours > heat energy can be stored but cools quickly without thick insulation
Staging tank
for tanklesswater heater
Winter time, customer discovers tankless can not heat water fast enough.
Staging tank can solve problem by pre-heating water before it reaches tankless.
| Problem
with tankless heater 1. Contact manufacturer's web site 2. Post problem on plumbing forum: Tankless turns-on after toilet is flushed Difficult to diagnose noise in tankless 1-year-old tankless is blowing breaker Compare tank vs tankless parts Undersized gas meter causes problems |
| See new water heating ideas 2010 |  |