Almost everyone has had the experience of turning on the faucet or shower and waiting for the water to warm up. The hot water in the hot water supply lines cool off after a few hours and unless the faucet is very close to the water heater, it takes time for the hot water to make its way from the water heater to the faucet. The further the faucet or shower is from the water heater, the longer the wait for the water to warm up.
Aside from the inconvenience of waiting for the water to warm up, this process wastes a lot of water – anywhere from two thousand to ten thousand gallons of water per year goes down the drain due to waiting for the water to heat up.
Hot water recirculating systems are designed to conserve water and end the wait for hot water. They work by recirculating hot water from the water heater throughout your hot water system and back to the water heater. This way, the water at the tap is always hot – no more waiting for hot water and no more wasting water down the drain.
If you are tired of wasting time, money, and water waiting for hot water, talk to your plumber about converting to a hot water recirculating system. There are a few different types of systems. Passive systems do not need electric pumps to operate. Instead, they rely on the fact that warm water rises to keep the water circulating through the system.
Active hot water recirculating systems use pumps to circulate the water. Some systems circulate the water continuously while others use a timer, temperature sensor, or user activated switch to operate the pump. Your plumber can help you choose a hot water recirculating system that is right for your home.
