With a recirculating pump installed, the water in the hot water line is constantly recirculating back to the water heater, which means that it is always warm and ready for use. There are several different designs for such systems, but the instant hot water recirculating system we’ll show you here is possible to install in an existing system.
Mechanism
Unlike some other systems, this system requires no dedicated hot water loop, and it works through means of a circulating pump installed at the water heater and a check valve installed at the sink farthest away from the water heater. The check valve is a heat-sensitive valve that circulates water back to the water heater until it is warm enough, then shuts off when the water in the hot water pipes is warm enough for use. The result is that the water in the hot water pipes is always warm when you need it, and you never have to waste water down the drain as you wait for the water to heat up. While the recirculating pump does use a small amount of electricity, this energy cost is offset by the water you save. As an energy-saving feature, most recirculating pumps have a built-in timer that allows you to set the pump to work during the times of day when you are most likely to need hot water. You can turn off the pump at night, for example, when hot water isn’t needed.
Tools and Materials
The recirculating pump kit includes most of what you’ll need, including the check valve and supply tubes that are installed under the sink.
Recirculating pump kit (including flex supply tubes and check valve) Channel-type pliers or pipe wrench Screwdriver Bucket and towel
Your recirculating pump will require a 120-volt outlet to plug it in. Make sure there is an accessible outlet near the water heater. Also, depending on the configuration of the plumbing pipes at your water heater, some plumbing work and additional parts may be necessary to install the recirculating pump on the hot water exit pipe on your water heater. This is most likely when the water heater is plumbed with rigid copper piping rather than flexible tubing.
Instructions
If you ever have to shut the water off to the house, make sure and unplug the pump to avoid burning it out. The pump needs to have water circulating through it whenever it is running. Should you experience a power outage, the timer on the recirculating pump will need to be reset in order to start and stop at the proper times.
