Are You At Risk From Your Hot Water?
Almost 40 percent of NZ homes have hot water that is dangerously hot, and nearly 10 percent have water so hot that burns are almost inevitable. The figures come from the just-released Household Energy End-Use Project (HEEP) report prepared by the Building Research Association of NZ (BRANZ). This study monitors all energy use (electricity, natural gas, LPG, solid fuel, solar water heating) in NZ households, as well as room temperatures.
The HEEP research reveals several factors that contribute to dangerously hot water in our homes. These include:
- Inaccurate thermostats. Around 30 percent of thermostats on electric hot-water cylinders do not deliver water at anything like the value showing on the temperature dial;
- Small hot-water cylinders. Many houses were originally fitted with small (30 gallon or 135 litre) cylinders that cannot deliver enough hot water at a safe temperature to meet the needs of the occupants. When these small cylinders break down, they are replaced with "like-for-like" products so the problem continues; and
- Lack of a delivered-water temperature control ("tempering" valve). Although these are a NZ Building Code requirement on all new cylinder installations, they are not mandatory on replacement cylinders.
Further material, including the report Executive Summary, is available on BRANZ website at www.branz.co.nz/main.php?page=HEEP |
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 00 83 33
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
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