waiting too long for hot water

[W.D.]

When using the hotwater in my Atlanta home it takes about 70 seconds for it to get hot irrespective of which faucet I'm using in the house. This is inconvenient, and a waste of water. The water heater is new, the temp is high enough, and the water pressure is adequate. Any suggestions on how to 'fix' this? My first thoughts are to insulate the pipes in the crawl space but I'm not sure how much of a difference this will make as I'm thinking it will still take 70 seconds for the water in the pipes to be 'pushed' through before the hot stuff starts flowing. So maybe I'll get lukewarm rather than cold water for 70 seconds but it still won't be hot? Other solutions?

W.D.

[trader4]

Insulating the pipes will help save some energy, but I agree it's not going to solve your problem. They do make recirculating pump gizmos that will either keep it hot all the time or that have a button you push when you expect to want hot water. They pumps are located near the point of use and return the water back into the cold water line, so it doesn't go down the drain. I think the push the button models may also get the water there faster than running it down the sink, because the pump pushes the water faster than pressure through the faucet would.

[Brian]

Why not install a instant heater under the sink..

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Nor much to do that is efficient. Recirculating pumps give the hot water fast, but you have a pump running and heat loss along the way. Insulating helps, of course.

No matter how hot the water in the tank is, the water in the pipe has to be emptied first. Not a cheap solution, but the point of use heaters reduce the time to just a few seconds. I have no idea of the cost to have one installed though.

[Ross Mac]

I live in Florida too, Harry, and I look at it this way....in a month or two we won't need much hot water! ....take care, Ross

[nicksanspam]

You might power one with a $15 outdoor motion-activated light in a hallway.

Nick

[Rich]

This is what I did:

I have a two story house with the water heater in exactly the opposite corner of my house from my bathroom, I installed this and now I don't waste water getting it to the tap. Little expensive little noisy but it works for me! YMMV or maybe not?

Rich

[Harry Everhart]

I am working on this problem now. Our pipes in Florida are in the concrete slab. The concrete is a heat sink and it sucks the heat out of the hot water right away. I am moving the water heater and putting insulated hot water lines overhead. Do not use a circulator because you will be continuously heating the concrete slab a big waste of energy. I am planning to use a tankless water heater - put it right next to the bathroom - and run one insulated hot water line to the kitchen. Harry

[PJx]

I did that to my house in Austin. I used 1/2 inch cpvc and double insulated it. It was 3/4 copper I disconnected. I used the foam sticks and then wrapped them with more insulation and wrapped that with plastic to hold it all together. It was so nice to finally have hot water waiting for me instead of me waiting for it.

PJ

[Dick]

[Rich]

I can wet my tooth brush with the cold water and by the time I'm ready for a rewetting the water is cold. Rich

[Jeff Wisnia]

I've wondered about those kind of units. Perhaps you can satisfy my curiousity:

If, after pushing the button and using some hot water, you want to draw a glass of cold water. Do you have to leave the "cold" water running for a while to get the tepid water out of it's line before it becomes cold?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Joseph Meehan]

I can only think of three approaches likely to help.

1. Reduce the time to move the cooled water out of the way, by reducing the volume or increasing the flow 1a. Replace the pipes with smaller pipes. This many mean replacing one large pipe with several smaller ones. 1b. If you have water saver devices, remove them.
2. Add a re-circulate system 2a Use a pump or thermo-siphon full time 2b.Use a pump that you can switch via a timer or manually.
3. Provide a local water heater at the location needed.

[Art Todesco]

[Phisherman]

Insulate the pipes. Whether that works or not, it will give you hotter water at the tap and save energy. Your water pressure may be low.

[Olaf]

Or how much it is to run one. Some electrics are 60 or more amps.

[Rich]

No thats the intention of these units you don't have to add more plumbing. There is an adjustment knob on the unit that allows you to set what the temp should be when the pump cuts out. I start the unit and get undressed then head for the shower and the water is hot, don't have to wait 50 seconds for my softened water and previously heated too water going down the drain.

[Rob Mills]

Instant hot water is great but I would think twice about it if there are small children in the house. Been there and done that, Rob Mills

[Olaf]

Does this unit pump the water back through the cold line? I see there are only 2 fittings coming out of the pump. Wouldn't a dedicated pump return line be necessary to keep the problem above from happening?

[Rick Brandt]

Regular: Child turns on full hot and puts hands in the flow. It eventually becomes warmer than comfortable and hands are pulled out.

Instant: Child turns on full hot, puts hands in the flow, and is scalded.

The above would only happen of course if your hot water was set higher than recommended, but many people do have "hotter" hot water in order to have "more" hot water.