[Alaska Wolf]

How about the temperature of the air surrounding the hot water heater?

Negligible because of the insulation.

started cycling my air conditioner 30 mins out of every hour. Screw that

Would you prefer brownouts and blackouts? You could buy a generator and screw the electric provider.

[VeniVidiVici]

How about the temperature of the air surrounding the hot water heater?

Negligible because of the insulation.

Bullshit.

You can't tell me a hot water heater doesn't work harder when the ambient is 30 as opposed to 130.

Never had a brownout or a blackout due to load. And if there ever was for an extended period I would fire-up my generator and plug-in my window a/c.