Not enough hot water? Your dishwasher may be the culprit.

Not having enough hot water may be solved by this quick tip.

We received this question:  The holidays at our house means lots of people visit, eat, and sleep over. And while this is what the holidays are about (at least so the cards tell me), it also means lots loads of dishes and lots of showers.

Last year, I spent a lot of time trying to run the dishwasher when I knew no one was showering or about to shower.

But then one day I opened the dishwasher in mid-cycle and the steam that poured out was much more than anything that comes out of my faucet, so it got me to thinking.

Does the dishwasher heat its own water? So can I run it when people are showering?

MyFixitUpLife’s Mark answers: Well, HoHoHo and there you go. It sounds like fun at your shack. And I like your question.

I checked with MyFixitUpLife friend master plumber Ed Del Grande on this one and here’s the deal.

1–Yes, your dishwasher does heat its own water, but…

2–It heats up hot water. Don’t believe me? Look under your sink and you’ll see that the dishwasher is more than likely connected to the hot water supply line (hot on the left, cold on the right.)

3–Since both processes consume heated water, Ed recommends—if you don’t already have them—installing water saving shower heads that meets Water Sense specifications. (Water Sense is kind of like Energy Star for water consuming devices.)

4–Ed recommends insulating your water heater with an insulation blanket.

5–Together they won’t give you unlimited hot water, but they will make the most of the water you have–and they’ll pay back every day, not just the holiday.

Finally, a question for you: What time should I arrive for dinner? Happy Holidays.