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Faster Hot Water – Save Time, Water, Money and
Be Green!
Have you ever considered how much water you run
down the drain while you wait for hot water to arrive at the fixture?
According to one study, done in Southern California, a typical family of
four can save up to 10,000 gallons per year by installing a hot water
circulating system. Grundfos, a major manufacturer of hot water
circulating systems states on their website that homeowners can save up
to 16,000 gallons per year with a circulating system.
It takes a lot of energy to pump and treat all of
that water, then, when you run it down the drain, it takes a whole lot
more energy to pump, process, and treat all of that extra sewage created
by the wasted water. Generating all of that required energy, results in
a whole lot of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere.
The biggest reason people install hot water
circulating systems though is for the convenience of faster hot water.
Think about all of the kitchen appliances that started out as just a
convenience, and then became standard products. Washing machines,
garbage disposals, dishwashers, microwave ovens, all started out as
optional conveniences and now they are standard in almost all new homes.
There are two types of hot water circulating
systems that we shall examine, beginning with the traditional
residential hot water circulating system. The traditional system
requires a pipe connecting the far end of the hot water pipe with the
inlet to the water heater. A pump circulates the hot water through the
pipe continuously, making nearly instantaneous hot water available at
the fixtures all of the time. Sometimes the pump is put on a timer so
that it shuts off during periods of little usage, and sometimes the pump
is temperature controlled.
Whatever the control method, the traditional system
is not “green” since it is such a big energy waster. Circulating the
hot water through the hot water piping is like heating the whole house.
The water heater has to work much harder than if there was not a
circulating system, and will wear out more quickly. The wasted energy
is far more expensive than the saved water, so you will be losing money
constantly. Generating the energy that gets wasted produces more green
house gases than are saved by not wasting the water. It’s a lose-lose
situation for traditional hot water circulating systems.
A “demand” type hot water circulating system is
much more “green”. A demand system consists of a pump connected between
the hot and cold water lines under a fixture, usually the furthest
fixture from the water heater. The demand system uses the cold water
line as the hot water return line.
When the user wants hot water, he pushes a button
to start the pump. The water is pumped out of the hot water pipe, into
the cold water line and back to the inlet of the water heater. When hot
water reaches the pump, it shuts off. That way no hot water enters the
cold water line, and when you turn on the hot water faucet you have
instant hot water.
Demand systems only fill the hot water pipe from
the water heater to the fixture with heated water. It doesn’t use more
energy than a non-circulating system does. Since the pump only runs for
a brief period of time, usually less than a minute, it uses very little
electricity, typically less than $2.00 per year.
Most demand type hot water systems deliver the hot
water to the fixture faster than if the faucet is run at full blast. So
you save time, water, energy, and money. Clearly it’s a win for you and
a win for the environment.
Demand systems are easily installed and some models
can be found for less than $200.00. On top of that some water companies
offer rebates to their customers when purchasing a demand hot water
system. Be sure to check with your local water supplier to see if there
are rebates you could claim for installing a hot water circulating
system in your home.
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