Not sure I’d put too much faith in the 120°F “sweet spot”—in my experience, that’s more of a guideline than a rule. I’ve had tenants complain about lukewarm water even when the dial says 120, but a cheap thermometer showed it was closer to 110 at the tap. Sometimes those mixing valves just don’t play nice, especially if there’s any mineral buildup.
Also, pipe insulation’s good, but honestly, unless you’ve got really long runs or a drafty crawlspace, it’s usually not the main culprit. I’d double-check the recirc pump (if you have one) or see if there’s a timer messing with your hot water supply. Had one property where the timer was off by a couple hours—made a world of difference once I fixed it.
That bit about the timer rings a bell—had a similar issue when I first switched to solar.
Ever notice if your solar heater’s storage tank loses heat overnight? I’ve wondered if adding a thermal blanket or tweaking the timer for early morning would help, but not sure if it’s worth the effort. Anyone tried that and actually seen a difference?“Had one property where the timer was off by a couple hours—made a world of difference once I fixed it.”
Tweaking the timer definitely helped at my place, but I get what you mean about heat loss overnight.
I wrapped my tank with a thermal blanket last winter—noticed the water stayed hotter till morning, but it wasn’t a massive change. Have you checked if your pipes are insulated too? Sometimes that’s where a lot of heat sneaks out.“Ever notice if your solar heater’s storage tank loses heat overnight?”
Honestly, I’ve seen folks focus so much on the tank that they forget about the valves and joints. Even if your pipes are insulated, those little gaps or old fittings can bleed heat overnight. I had a client who swapped out some old brass valves for newer insulated ones and actually saw a difference. Have you ever checked the fittings or maybe even the pump timer settings? Sometimes the smallest tweaks make the biggest impact...
Man, you nailed it about the valves and joints. People baby their tanks like it’s a newborn, but those crusty old fittings are just sitting there leaking heat like a sieve. I once found a “mystery drip” that turned out to be a loose union—tightened it up, and suddenly the morning showers weren’t lukewarm anymore. Also, don’t get me started on pump timers... half the time they’re set to run when nobody’s even home. Sometimes I think the system’s just trolling us.