[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.

[Alaska Wolf]

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

I stated it was negligible not that it wouldn't work harder. What moron would keep a hot water heater where temperatures would drop below freezing?

Never had a brownout or a blackout due to load.

Plenty of places have.