Thanks all for the replies and warm welcome! :)
I'm using powdered detergent which is why I wanted warm water (it probably doesn't need to be hot). However, I don't want to use our hot water heater unless we have to. We (the younger two kids) will be doing the kids laundry (clothing) by hand...
It's my first post, so here's a bit of background. My husband and I, and our three kids live on 10 acres of land. We have a double-wide trailer that we live in, several outbuildings and an older house built around 1860 (we lived there for a bit, but it became very difficult to heat/cool). Our...