Why You’re Waiting for Hot Water?

Getting a clear understanding of your options requires starting at the beginning with an understanding of why you’re waiting so long for the water to run hot, to begin with. The problem isn’t always with your water heater, although that’s one possible culprit. A lot of water gets held in a home’s pipes, and even the best water heater won’t keep it warm. 

When you turn on the tap and wait for the water to heat up, you’re evacuating all of the static water in the pipes, averaging a little over three gallons. Knowing this underlying reason explains why families that rely on tankless water heaters still have to wait for hot water. The water is heated on demand, but it doesn’t push the gallons of cold water out of the pipes.

What Is a Circulating Pump for a Water Heater?

Now, on to a potential solution. Circulating pumps for water heaters work by moving the water through the cool pipes from your heater to your fixtures. The circulation pump uses hot water lines to bring the water out into your home and cold water lines to retrieve it when it cools down. The best part about it is that circulation pumps are extremely energy efficient, using less power than a 25-watt light bulb.

Benefits of Recirculation Pumps

The most obvious benefit of a recirculation pump is that it eliminates the wait for hot water. You’ll no longer have to stand around in the cold waiting to get in the shower or leave the sink running for a full minute before being able to comfortably rinse dishes. This benefit, alone, is enough to convince most homeowners of the utility of water-circulating pumps, but it’s not the only one.

Because recirculation pumps are so energy-efficient, they also help to cut back on your utility bills. Waiting to let the water heat up without a pump leads to an average of three gallons of water wasted each time you use the hot water. For a typical family, that adds up to around 9% of each month’s water bill. Compared to the amount of electricity required to run a water-circulating pump, that’s a lot of wasted money.

Reducing water waste isn’t just about saving money. It also helps to conserve a valuable resource. In today’s world of increasing ecological instability, every gallon of potable water that can be saved counts.

Who Can Use Water Recirculation Pumps?

Water recirculation pumps work well with both traditional and tankless water heaters, so just about every family can benefit from having one installed. With traditional heaters, the circulation pumps pull hot water from the tank and return cold water to it to be reheated. Since your water heater keeps the water in the tank at a constant temperature, reintroducing a small amount of cold water makes little difference.

Many modern tankless water heaters come with recirculation pumps built in. However, this feature is generally reserved for high-end models. More affordable tankless water heaters don’t always come with built-in recirculation pumps, nor do all older models. If you have an older or cheaper water heater, you may need to either have a recirculation pump installed separately or upgrade to a newer model.

Ready to Upgrade?

No matter what type of water heater you have, the pros at Ethical Plumbing can help you make the most of it. You can contact us online or call (864) 438-0525 to discuss your project and request a quote today.