Is there any way to speed up the time it takes to get the warm water to run out of the faucet? It seems to take forever. I know it has to run its course but I thought since it is 2005 maybe there is something new out there that has handled this problem.
Thanks.
It takes longer if you're standing there waiting for it. Seriously. It does.
More seriously, if it really drives you crazy, havea plumber stop by and see if it's possible to re-route the pipes and improve the situation. Or, just leave it running slightly. No...wait....that's stupid.
I'll add something to your basket of worries. If it takes forever at the kitchen sink, and you have a dishwasher, there's a good chance your dishwasher doesn't get hot water for the first wash. If that concerns you, run the sink water till it's hot, and THEN turn on your dishwasher.
There are several possibilities. A loop may be best, but it means running a new line back to the water heater. There is a pump that you start right before you need your hot water and it pumps the water from the hot line to the cold line so it fills the pipe quickly with hot water and nothing pours out into the sink. Your plumber will know of both type fixes. Neither is free.
Great. How much did it cost you to install and how much does it cost you to run? Does the constant running of the pump cause wear on the water heater?
The cost of installation will depend on your home. Running the return line(s) will be the expensive part. However I would not expect it to be too expensive.
The cost of running it should be not too high as well. It is just a low volume pump. The wear on the water heater will be minimal at most.
The real cost will be the cost of heating water. You will now have two long pipes (the supply and the return) constantly kept hot, except during off hours if you use a timer. They will work cooling the water and putting that heat into your home. During the heating season, the cost will be minimal. However and this is something I did not see even remotely referenced on the web site, during the cooling season, you will first pay to heat that water which will warm your home, but you will also pay to remove that heat with your air conditioner.
For me, I might be willing to accept the cost, assuming I was able to insulate the pipes well to reduce the cost. My real objection is the total lack of information about this on the web site, It makes me question all the other information they provide.
I did the installation my self so the cost was minimal. A return line is not needed as the pump uses the cold water line for the return. So all you need to do is install the pump to the hot water outlet on your water tank. You'll also need to install a recirculating valve in a sink far away from the hot water tank. If you have the flexible screw type connection on the hot water tank then soldering is probably not required.
The pump has a timer which can turn off the pump during the night etc. The cost to run the pump is probably minimal. For me this was more of a matter of comfort.
Not to say that is a terrible idea, but you should remember that using the cold water as a return line will mean you are likely to get warm to hot water from the cold water side until you let it run a while.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.