# Does intensity of water flow affect how long it takes for hot water to arrive?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-intensity-of-water-flow-affect-how-long-it-takes-for-hot-water-to-arrive/413634
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 30, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-intensity-of-water-flow-affect-how-long-it-takes-for-hot-water-to-arrive/413634 "2007-07-30T01:22:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tiltypig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiltypig)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-intensity-of-water-flow-affect-how-long-it-takes-for-hot-water-to-arrive/413634/1 "2007-07-30T01:22:13Z")
I live in an apartment and it takes some time for hot water to flow from the faucet. Does the intensity of the water flow affect the amount of time I have to wait?
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-intensity-of-water-flow-affect-how-long-it-takes-for-hot-water-to-arrive/413634/2 "2007-07-30T01:27:17Z")
[QUOTE=tiltypig]
I live in an apartment and it takes some time for hot water to flow from the faucet. Does the intensity of the water flow affect the amount of time I have to wait?
[/QUOTE]
Do you mean - will the water get hot faster if you turn it on full blast? The answer is yes.
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### Author:  [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2007, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-intensity-of-water-flow-affect-how-long-it-takes-for-hot-water-to-arrive/413634/3 "2007-07-30T02:03:05Z")
[QUOTE=tiltypig]
I live in an apartment and it takes some time for hot water to flow from the faucet. Does the intensity of the water flow affect the amount of time I have to wait?
[/QUOTE]
If the water is coming from a centralized water heater then the delay in the arrival of hot water is because the standing water in the pipes has cooled off. You will flush it out the cooled water faster with a high flow.
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### Author:  [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2007, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-intensity-of-water-flow-affect-how-long-it-takes-for-hot-water-to-arrive/413634/4 "2007-07-30T02:37:09Z")
From experience with a central water heater, as people have said, the answer is yes.
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### Author:  [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-intensity-of-water-flow-affect-how-long-it-takes-for-hot-water-to-arrive/413634/5 "2007-07-30T04:04:20Z")
Describe the intensity of the water.