Handwashing hot water?

[ericmark]

I know I need to run half a bowl full of cold water before I get hot water. I have 5 hot water tapes in the house, so a local hot water heater will likely only serve one tap, it would need to store the water as no way I could get a 6 kW supply to the taps, so think there is nothing I can do?

Water heated by central heating if the central heating is running, oil fired, no way to stop it heating it, and electric in the summer, either off-peak (8.5p/kWh) or solar (15p/kWh) around 35 kWh per month, so around £5.50 a month so cost wise, unlikely any local hot water unit will pay for its self, but a unit at front kitchen sink, to give instant hot water without waiting for it to arrive at the taps, would be nice, but would likely take up cupboard space, looking at waste disposal unit as well, when new kitchen cupboards etc are fitted, so seems prudent to look and see what can be done.

We use both a kettle and cup boiler, the cup boiler is faster than getting hot water through the taps, takes less than 1 minute to make a cup of coffee, but for boiling two or more cups of water, the kettle is better, so we returned to kettle, rather than 2 x 1 cup boilers, as when we have visitors it takes too long.

Considering counter space, have a cup boiler and a kettle takes up counter space, I remember

units on the wall, we still have one where I work, but new ones tend to be large, or combined with multi-functions, and I worry about getting boiling water when I want handwashing water, specially as I get older. I have never boiled a kettle to get warm water to wash hands, I know I could, but easier to just wait for hot water at the tap.

Better wait a minute than risk mistake and get boiling hot water.

So I don't think there is anything worth doing, but does not hurt to ask, in case I have missed something.

 

[Wayners]

I use a gas hob kettle as for me it's the easiest and fastest way to get a mug full of water for tea or coffee..
Leave on hob or put away if not using.
Would also work for washing hands I guess as surplus water could be put in a flask.

Those 3lt of 5lt Hydroboils suffer terrible lime build up. You can buy service kits and decale, but after a year the water starts to taste bad because of lime scale. For £1000 each they are terrible things installed so staff don't stand waiting for kettle to boil.

 

[yorksbuilder]

Install a secondary hot water return system so you have instantaneous dhw at your desired tap, without wasting time boiling anything and risking scalding.

 

[ericmark]

The hot water return same problem as the high current supply, to get it installed means removing the ceiling to get assess, so non-starter. Gas kettle, would mean having gas bottles to supply the LPG. I remember my parents and the solid fuel stove, with kettle always on the corner, always on the boil, but also remember the louvred window in the kitchen to get rid of the heat, and other problems with solid fuel, the idea is to move forward not backwards.

Like the hypercorse heating used by the Romans, we tried it, found it was no good, so why don't we learn from history, why would we fit under floor heating today? I made that mistake, ripped up the floor, fitted extra insulation in the floor, and under floor heating, but with the extra insulation it was not required, and it took so long to heat up, never used.

But technology moves on, we are still using steam power today, Charles Parsons, Irish I think, although based in Newcastle, took Hero's invention and made it work. Still used in Nuclear power stations throughout the world, most of our electric is steam generated. One guy changed the world.

But, not holding out much hope for better handwashing, I did have an under sink unit when living in a caravan, and 7 litres of hot water was ample, had a 1 kW element and very well insulated. But latter caravans had a carver unit which supplied sinks, shower, and same size and could use gas or electric, but at 74 looking at maybe 15 years before forced to move to an underground home, spending a lot of money to wash hands not worth it.

 

[opps]

Why would you handwash hot water... /ducksForCover