Lowering household water consumption

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi Frank,

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

My gas water heater sits in the basement. I am thankful for whatever heat it "loses" there.

Yes, but some heat does go up the chimney, too?

Another trick I have seen in pre-warming the supply to the water heater with the draining water on the shower trap, with a heat exchanger.

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Can an instant heater be used inline with a tank heater? Will the instant stop heating once the tanked hot water gets to there?

It really depends on the on demand hot water heater, Quite Side makes one that will do exactly what you are asking as it has an temp sensor for the incoming water along with the outgoing water and a variable size flame so it only heats as much as is needed, other on demand water heaters pulse the flame so you get bursts of hot and cold water.
So there is no flat out rule for on demand water heaters, you have to study and choose and you tend to pay for what you get.