Quote:
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
...The plan is to put the new electric 40 gal WH in the laundry room , next to the washing machine...
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There are various rationales for locating a DWH.
Some people put them at the center of the house so that all taps are about equal distance away.
Some put the DWH as near as possible to the outlet through which the greatest volume of heated water flows (sometimes laundry, sometimes bathroom).
In my opinion, the very best location for a water heater is as close as possible to the
most frequently used outlet... which in most cases is the kitchen sink.
The reason is that there is a "slug" of water that has become cold inside the pipe, and that water is allowed to run (wasting water & time) until the hot water begins to flow. By locating the DWH near the most frequently used tap, the slug quantity and time are remarkably reduced. With the advent of popular electric demand heaters, the water heater can easily be put under the kitchen sink, inside the cabinet. This way the distance from the DWH to the tap can be measured in inches rather than feet.
Also, if you live in a climate that requires 'mostly heating', then if it is possible to locate the DWH in the heated section of the house, it's wasted heat is put to good use. Of course, if your climate is 'mostly cooling' then the DWH should be located outside the heated envelope.
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On a not unrelated note, two of my personal friends are going to considerable effort (separate installs) to locate their furnaces outside the heated envelope, in barely-heated attics, which make me wonder if there is any hope for humanity... at all?
You can lead a horse to water, but wise energy decisions have a long way to go.
-AC