most water heater timers at least have an over ride switch, so if you want to take a hot shower at 3am you just switch it on 20 minutes befor you want to step in the shower, alot of the new ones can be programed as well alowing for even greater savings, and if you want to find out if your gas water heater can be put on a timer you just have to take a quick look at it, if it has a fan on top for forced venting, or other electronics that have to be plugs in for it to turn on, then you just plug that cord in to a simple timer, most of them with a fan have a sensor on the fan, so the gas doesn't come on untill the exaust fan comes on, preventing the water heater from filling your house from carbonmonoxide.
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