Hot water recirculation pumps can be a bit tricky while choosing, and if you are a beginner who didn’t have the pleasure of dealing with hot water recirculation systems before, you definitely need to know how they work to make a better choice for your house.
To understand how a good hot water recirculation system works, you need to know the inefficiencies these can deliver to the comfort of your house and overall energy consumption. Efficient hot water recirculation doesn’t place a demand on water heaters when flushing a toilet or opening a cold water tap. Having an efficient hot water recirculation can surely burden your pocket.
What Is a Hot Water Recirculating Pump?
A hot water recirculation pump recirculates hot water throughout a home on a continual basis. It keeps existing water in your hot water pipes always hot and ready to use. A hot water recirculation pump eliminates the problem of having to wait a specified amount of time for hot water to be delivered to a faucet after the designated hot water dial is turned to the on position. Having the ability to have instantaneous hot water saves energy and money in the long-term. It reduces the amount of time a water heater must remain on to heat larger quantities of incoming cold water to the system. Hot water recirculation pumps also assist in cutting back on overall water usage.
How Does a Hot Water Recirculating System Work?
A hot water recirculation pump works by continually circulating hot water throughout the pipes within a home or other structure. The pump can be installed in several locations and provides a constant cycle or flow of existing water. The water is pulled and simultaneously returned to the hot water heater maintaining a constant supply of hot water to faucets throughout the home.
Two Types of Recirculating Pumps
Most commonly, there are two types of recirculating pumps that are installed into a plumbing service. These types of recirculation pumps are called Dedicated Loop and Integrated Loop. Each kind of hot water circulation pump utilizes a different method to maintain a consistent flow of hot water throughout the structure.
Here we will discuss the two types of hot water recirculation systems that can help you save energy, water, and money:
Dedicated Loop
This is one kind of circulation system. The hot water circulation pump for this system is mounted on a pipe connected to the water heater tank down low. This is the cooler side of the loop, or you can say the return line.
The hot water line is installed throughout the house, which passes near each plumbing fixture. At each fixture, a short pipe connects the loop to the hot water valve. Because hot water is circulating in the hot water valve, the hot water instantly reaches the valve and is at your disposal whenever the valve is opened.
This helps make the pump durable and long-lasting. If the house is empty and there is no use of hot water, the pump remains off because there is no use in draining water and electricity unnecessarily.
Integrated Loop
The integrated loops are mainly used as add-ons but can be used as main components themselves. It consists of a hot water recirculation pump installed under a plumbing fixture.
These systems usually contain water pumps that are highly advanced and efficient. The pump contains a heat sensor that automatically turns on the pump whenever the water temperature falls below 85 degrees Fahrenheit and switches it off when the water temperature reaches 95 degrees F. Newer pumps are also adjustable from 77 to 104 degrees F.
These systems don’t have a separate return line, and the same cold water line is used to circulate the hot water; this helps raise the temperature of cold water too.
How Are Hot Water Recirculation Systems Activated?
Hot water recirculation systems usually operate by either a timer or a thermostat. Some old systems are those that remain on 24 hours; they are not efficient.
The ones with the timers work on demand; you can set the timer to let it operate during the peak hours only, such as in the morning when everyone has to go to the office/school.
The thermostat ones are those with heat sensors; they turn on the pump when the water temperature falls below a specific temperature and switch off when it reaches a particular temperature.
Are Hot Water Systems Efficient?
Whether the hot water system is on-demand or automatic, it indeed reduces the percentage of water wasted yearly while you wait outside to have heated water. They reduce the time it takes to heat the water; recirculating systems are primarily known for delivering hot water to faucets quickly.
They save a lot of water; by installing a hot water recirculation pump in your house, you will save around 15,000-20,000 gallons of water yearly. According to the US Department Of Energy, 400 billion to 1.3 trillion gallons of water is wasted nationally by households in one year.
They are also power efficient. US Dept. Energy also states that 800-1600 kilowatt-hours per year are consumed to pump the water to households that are eventually drained down the tap while the owner waits for the water to become hot enough.
These systems are very powerful in themselves, save a lot of water from draining uselessly, and save you from excessive electricity bills. It can be a bit costly to purchase and adjust the whole setup in a new house, but they sure will save you a lot of money in the future.
Make a Positive Impact and Save Money with a Hot Water Recirculation Pump
No one enjoys waiting for the water to turn hot when standing at a faucet. It is a common annoyance but also severely impacts the environment. When waiting for hot water to be delivered to a sink or shower, countless gallons of clean water are wasted every year. The municipal energy costs to clean and provide the water to your home, as well as the associated homeowner costs to run a hot water system, accumulate over time, leading to excess energy waste that could have been better spent elsewhere.
For someone looking to reduce their carbon footprint and save money at the same time, a hot water recirculation pump is a must-have installation for a home or other building structure. Luckily, Arty Water is here to help you decide which hot water recirculation pump is right for your house. With our in-depth analysis of current hot water recirculation systems, Arty Water can provide unique insight into a new and emerging trend in plumbing technology. Although hot water recirculation pumps have existed in the past, recent advances in both the system’s mechanical and electronic components provide superior efficiency and effectiveness.
For more information regarding hot water recirculation systems, RO systems, and water filtering systems, contact Arty Water today!
I think that I don’t understand what is going on. As I picture the situation, at steady-state, the circulation pump is running, supplying hot water via the HWS SUPPLY LINE, to the bypass valve (which is located beneath the bathroom sink), and returning the hot water to the tank, BACKWARDS, thru the CWS SUPPLY LINE.
Fine. If I want cold water at the faucet, I open the cold water faucet valve. It seems to me that I will immediately get hot water, and will continue to get hot water until the cold water from the CWS LINE flushes the hot water thru the CWS LINE, which would take about as long as it now takes to get hot water to the faucet.
Am I missing something????
Please explain.