How a Domestic Hot Water Recirculation System Works
Tired of waiting for hot water?
How many times have you turned on the faucet or shower and have to wait for hot water. You can eliminate this wait by installing a domestic hot water recirculation system.
A domestic hot water recirculation system means instant hot water with no waiting. Many people claim that the extra energy of the circulation pump is a waste of energy but so isn’t waiting for the hot water to arrive. If recirculation system pumps constantly then I would agree that the system is wasting a ton of energy. But they don’t pump all day, read more….
Fact: Waiting for hot water sends millions of gallons of cold water down the drain. On a average family of 4 will waste 14,000 gallons of water each year waiting for hot water.
Trade off? You bet – make your decision on which makes the most sense for you.
Does A Domestic Hot Water Recirculation System Really Save Energy??
Regardless of whether they are controlled manually or automatically, recirculation systems reduce the amount of water that goes down the drain while the homeowner waits for the desired temperature.
There are two major advantages of a recirculation system:
- Time Saver: A recirculating hot water system delivers hot water to a faucet fast.
- Conserve Water: 1.3 trillion gallons of water is wasted nationally by households per year while waiting for water to heat up. [U.S. DOE statistics]
Domestic Hot Water Recirculation System provide instant hot water comfort, save water and energy. A standard domestic hot water recirculation system requires a dedicated return line from the furthest fixture back to the water heater. So adding a domestic hot water recirculation system after a house is finished is harder than doing it when built or going through a major renovation.
This dedicated return line is connected to a tee at the tank drain valve or to the tank’s cold water supply line.
A recirculation pump with an optional Integral Flow Check (IFC) is installed on the return line and controlled by a timer or temperature aquastat. The spring-loaded IFC prevents gravity circulation during off-cycles. The timer turns on the pump at preset intervals, usually during peak use periods. An optional Aquastat operates the pump to keep hot water in the line within a set range (95°F–115°F).