Is A Hot Water Recirculating Pump Worth It 10 Pros And Cons
Are you interested in learning more about the advantages and disadvantages of a hot water recirculation pump?Yes, you receive instant hot water when you turn on the faucet, but is it really worth the money youll spend on the initial installation?Do they function properly in cold climates?
Youve got questions, and Ive got answers to all of them.In this essay, Ill go over everything you need to know about recirculation pumps in one convenient place.There are various methods for obtaining rapid hot water, and you must choose which one would best meet your needs and whether it is even worthwhile to purchase one of these solutions.
Connect The Sensor Valve
Once the air is removed from plumbing lines, you can close the loop by installing a sensor valve. The sensor valve is installed under the sink that is farthest away from the water heater. Locate the sink furthest away from the heater and look for the valves present under the sink. Under every sink, you can find two valves, one for hot water and another for cold water.
Before you install the sensor valve under the sink, shut off both cold and hot water supply valves. Now disconnect the flex pies from stop valves. Now check if the sensor valve size and flex pipe size are some or not. In general, there are two flex pipe sizes available in the USA, ½ inch or inch.
If they are not of the same size, you can easily buy a new flex pipe or an adapter of the required size from a nearby hardware store. Now connect the hot and cold water supplies to the top inlets of the sensor valves. In the next step, connect the flex pipe to the bottom outlets of the sensor valve. One senor valve is enough for a small household and ensures a warm water supply for up to three outlets in the home.
However, if you have a big house and branched plumbing lines, you may need to install more than one sensor valve at multiple sinks. Once the valve is fixed with water inlets and flex pipes, you can mount it to the nearby wall using mounting screws. Always use the fully compatible mounting screws that are delivered with the recirculating pump.
Drain Water From Plumbing Lines And Water Heater
Before installing a recirculating pump on your water heater, it is advised to drain all the water present in existing plumbing lines. Open the tabs, facet, and showers, flush all the hot or cold water already present in the pipes. The best way to do this is to open the lowest outlet in the home. However, you can open multiple faucets to drain the water quickly. After draining all the water from plumbing lines, flush out water from the water heater. You can locate the drain valves on the water heater on the back or bottom.
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Do You Need A Recirculating Pump With A Tankless Water Heater
Smart Home Consultant
It is more than often that some or other clients of mine would come to me and ask, do I need a recirculation pump for a tankless water heater?
So, I decided to end this age-old debate by answering the question in the best possible manner that I could.
Frankly speaking, it isnt compulsory to have a recirculating pump along with a tankless water heater. However, having one will definitely reduce the wait time for the hot water as well as will save you a tangible amount of hot water over the years.
If youre one of my clients and reading this post then youll find the same thing that Ive said to you verbally.
So, without any further ado, lets begin
A Standard Tankless Water Heater With A Recirculating Loop And No Buffer Tank
This is a bad idea but happens when an installer doesnt understand how a tankless works, or is trying to cut corners. The pump can get the tankless to kick on but it shuts off every time the pump kicks off. When a tankless kicks off it doesnt start making hot water again immediately when it is turned back on. Cool water enters the heat exchanger and passes through without being heated completely or at all. This means when you turn on your shower it feels warm because the pump pushed hot water through the line, but when the cold water that goes through the heat exchanger without being heated from startup comes through the line you get a cold shot of water in your shower. This wastes a lot of energy with almost no real benefits. We recently saw one of these systems that the owners had been dealing with for years. The pump also had no timer so it was running any time the water temperature dropped 24 hours a day making their more efficient tankless water heater extremely inefficient and giving them intermittent cold shots of water in their showers. When offered the more efficient condensing unit with internal recirc pump and buffer tank to eliminate the cold they quickly decided it was a good idea. They had never been told about the right way to do it and thought the cold water shots were normal for a tankless water heater.
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Disconnect The Water Supply
In the next step, you need to disconnect the water supply to the water heater. The valve is located right above the water heater in most plumbing mechanisms. Close this valve to cut off the water supply to the heater. If you cannot find the valve on the water heater, look at the water tanker in your home. Locate the pipe that is going to the water heater and shut off the valve present on it.
How Much Do Hot Water Circulation Pumps Cost + Installation Cost + Running Cost
Are circulation pumps worth it?
This is the key question. Are these pumps just a luxury that enables you to get hot water lightning fast, or do they actually save you money?
Lets first figure out the costs:
- Cost Of Recirculation Pump Kit. With these kits, you can install the pump yourself. They can cost anywhere from $100 to $500. Here is one of the most popular home recirculation pumps as an example : This is the Watts Premier Instant Hot Water Recirculating Pump System with Built-In Timer. Its very popular because you can install it yourself. You can check its price and get it here.
- Installation Cost. As we have figured out in the previous chapter, it will take an experienced plumber who works for $75 to $130 an hour about half an hour to install. In most cases, the cost of installing a hot water recirculation pump runs at less than $100.
- Running Electricity Costs. Are hot water recirculation pumps expensive to run? Not really. We have calculated that if you run a 40W unit non-stop 24/7, youre looking at a $46.22/year extra in electricity bills .
Now, we have to check if these costs are balanced out by the water savings. We will presume that youre buying a hot water circulation pump for a household of 4 and that each person wastes about 2 gallons of water per day .
That means that this household wasted 8 gallons of water per day just waiting for hot water. Thats 2,920 gallons of water per year wasted.
How much is that in water bills?
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Comfort Systems With Under Sink Valves
Recirculation pump comfort systems use the existing cold water pipe to send unused water back to the water heater so a dedicated return line isn’t needed. This is a cost and time-effective solution for homeowners. These systems have a pump installed at the water heater and a bridge valve under the farthest faucet.
You may also install an under sink pump installed under the farthest faucet eliminating the need for a bridge valve.
The initial cost is lowered and installation is greatly simplified.
Automated Start & Stop
Another variety of pumps have thermostats, timers, and/or smart logic in them. The thermostat only allows the pump to run when the water temperature falls below a set degree.
Timers are used to warm the water at set times of the day when water use is at its highest.
Pumps equipped with smart logic maximize efficiency by lowering water temperatures during times it is not typically called upon or when the water is shut off for an extended amount of time, such as vacations, long weekends, etc.
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What Parts Are In The Hot Water Circulation Pump Kits
If you want to install a recirculation pump, you start by getting the whole recirculating pump kit. You can install it yourself or call a professional more on that in the part about how much do hot water recirculating pumps cost.
Here is the list of all the parts you need to install a recirculation pump. Of course, the most important part is the pump itself, so well start with that:
- Electric Pump. This is a standard impeller-style pump with 110/120V . Depending on the size of the pump, it can generate 0.22-3 amp that means it runs on anywhere from about 20W to 360W. All that power is used to move water into and out of your existing pipes. To connect with your piping, every recirculating pump has 3/4 pipe thread connectors. All the necessary hot water recirculation pump kit parts.
- Pipe Thread Connectors. These are 3/4 inch connectors that connect the electric pump to your existing piping.
- Check Valve. Every hot water recirculation pump is required to have a check valve. Check valve ensures that the flow of water is in the right direction.
- Timer and Temperature Sensor. Both are used to increase the energy efficiency of hot water recirculation pumps. Times can be programmed for the pump to come on when you need more hot water . The temperature sensor measures the water temperature and shuts the pump off when the water is hot enough. Only the energy-efficient hot water recirc pumps have these two .
Learn More About Hot Water Recirculating Pumps
We at Best San Diego Leak Detection are pleased to provide hot water services as part of our comprehensive range of services.This involves the installation, maintenance, and repair of water heaters and their accompanying accessories, such as hot water recirculation pumps, as well as other related tasks.It is our expertise that can assist you in narrowing down your selections and settling on the ideal recirculating pump to fit your requirements and financial constraints.
Our knowledgeable staff are always available to answer your questions, so please dont hesitate to contact us if there is anything you are unsure of or need further clarification on.Well schedule a free consultation meeting with you so that we can go through your requirements and preferences in further detail.To get started, give us a call right away.16th of July, 2019 Categories:
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Turn Off Electric Or Gas Supply
The first step is to turn off the gas and electric supply of the water heater. If your water heater is electric, you need to shut off the breaker to which it is installed. Water heaters are usually connected with a 30-amp breaker, and you can easily locate them inside the home. If your water heater is connected with a gas supply, locate the gas valve that supplies gas to the heater. A gas valve could be of yellow, blue, or red color. Turn the valve so that it faces the gas pipe perpendicularly.
How Does A Recirculating Pump Work On A Water Heater
A circulating pump is installed on the water heater while a senor valve is installed on the faucet or shower away from the heater. For the working of a recirculating pump on a water heater, a separate plumbing pipe for warm water is required. In this way, a loop is created from a water heater to the faucet and shower in your home.
The recirculating pump draws back the unused water to the water heater and recirculates the water through this loop. In this way, you instantly get hot water when you open the tap or faucet. The advanced recirculating pump comes withs sensor valves that automatically shut off once the warm water loop is complete. Also, they have programmable timers allowing users to set timers. The pump only activates according to the timer settings and saves a lot of energy.
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Request Your Hot Water Heater Recirculation Pump Installation Services
If youre thinking about adding a regulation pump to your homes plumbing system and water heater, its important to turn to a professional for help to ensure the installation is done correctly. If done wrong, repairs may be needed, which will cost you extra, plus you could face water damage, which is never fun.
At Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Wilmington and Brunswick County, we have decades of local experience and utilize national processes to inspect your homes hot water system and make the necessary recommendations on what tankless water heater or recirculation pump is best for your home. Well back the installation with our workmanship guarantee, providing you peace of mind that your new recirculation pump can serve your space for years to come.
Need to learn more about our tankless water heater services? Ready to schedule your recirculation pump installation? Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Wilmington and Brunswick County is here reach out to our team today!
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Should A Tankless Water Have A Recirculating Pump
The answer is yes! But it needs to be done correctly or it could use more energy and make your hot water less convenient than without it and waste a lot of water at the same time. Read below to see the different options for using a recirculating pump with a tankless water heater so save energy and water. Or give us a call with any questions at 209-352-4294
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How The Problem Gets Solved With Hot Water Recirculating Pump
With a hot water recirculating pump, you can prevent this situation as cold water sitting in your hot water pipes is re circulated back to the water heater, which brings in new hot water to the faucet so that it is ready whenever you are in need. These instant water pumps are usually installed above the water heater. However, it is easiest to install them at the farthest faucet in the system. In such cases, they are installed under the sink. The system may also include a sensor valve that is installed under the farthest sink from the water heater which âsensesâ when the temperature drops below around 90 degrees and open a valve that allows more hot water to flow and triggers the hot water pump to pump more hot water. Thus the hot water pump prevents wastage of water and also saves a few minutes of waiting for hot water.
Due to the frequent drought conditions and related water restrictions in many US states like California, the stateâs Building Energy Efficiency Standards roll out that all new homes must include hot water recirculating pumps with regard to faucets that are farther than 50 feet from the water heater. This prevents water wastage as well as the inconvenience caused to the homeowners as they wait for the hot water. If you own an older home, still it is a good idea to invest in recirculating pumps for your tankless water heaters.
How To Get Hot Water Faster From A Tankless Water Heater
Unfortunately, theres no quick fix to get your tankless water heater working more efficiently. You are mostly constrained by the power of the unit itself. If your tankless water heater can only heat water so fast, then youre basically stuck at that rate without modifications to the system. Here are two of the more popular modifications to get hot water faster:
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Is Recirculating Pump Worth The Money
Well, to begin with, the beauty of any tankless water heater, be it an electric one or a gas variant is, it can provide you with an endless supply of hot water effortlessly.
Furthermore, a tankless water heater doesnt store hot water in a tank rather it provides hot water instantly and on-demand without any hassle.
So, there isnt any standby heat loss to the environment which slowly and gradually will add to electricity bill saving in the long-run.
Unfortunately, like any other product, a tankless hot water heater has its own share of cons as well.
As compared to a conventional tankless water heater, a tankless heater requires some wait time before you get the hot water coming out of a faucet, shower, etc.
And, the worst part is, while youre waiting for the hot water to come out of the faucet, a tangible amount of water gets wasted.
The cold water present in the pipe needs to be moved out so that the hot water can reach out to you.
For instance, the amount of cold water getting wasted might seems very little for you but if youll calculate it for an entire year, then it might reach up to 10, 000 gallons of water.
In order to save the cold water while waiting for the hot water to come out of the fixture, some of my clients said that they catch them in the bucket.
COOL
You can do that as well, and if that doesnt interest you, then Ive got a better option for you.
Yes, you guessed it, RIGHT!
Do Tankless Water Heaters Come With Recirculation Pumps
Some tankless water heater models come with a recirculation pump, while others do not, mostly to reduce the cost of tankless water heaters for consumers. While they will work without one, purchasing a tankless water heater with an integrated recirculation pump is always recommended first.
If you already have a tankless water heater without a pump installed in your home, you can explore your options to have one retroactively added to your system instead of purchasing a whole new water heater.
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