Temperature Inversions

Now that we're officially into summer the water in the taps switches temperature. Cold runs hot and hot runs cold.

Technically, the hot water only runs cold until the water from the heater pushes the water that's been cooling down in the insulated piping through, then it warms up again. And, technically, the cold water only runs hot until the water from the outside (buried) pipes pushes the water that's been heating up in the uninsulated piping through but, until then the water from the "cold" tap can easily get over 115F. Even when the cold water finally cools down it's only to room temperature and never anywhere near the brain-achingly delicious New England well water I grew up with.

This is because our house is built on a solid concrete slab. Our pipes, once they get to the house, do not (can not) run underground but rise up and travel through the attic/crawl space and then down through the walls to the various taps. The attic with the merciless Florida summer sun beating down on it. The hot water pipes are insulated to keep the heat in which slows but does not prevent heat loss but also slows heat gain. The cold water pipes, being uninsulated absorb the full effects.

This is a common situation down here, although frequently an unpleasant surprise to visitors and new residents. I doubt any homes in the area have basements or cellars in which to place utilities. We're too close to sea level and the water table is too high.

The cats haven't figured out what to do with the ice cubes in their water dish, yet.