Hot water recirculation pump recommendations?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

I would like to get quick hot water to the bathrooms on the opposite side of a ranch style house from where the water heater is located.

What can be done to make this as efficient as possible while still having all the benefits?

I could get a timer-based pump, but I would want it to be able to store the settings during a power outage so the clock doesn't have to be readjusted each time the power is cut. This could be as simple as the timer just having a battery backup like most alarm clocks.

I have also heard of occupancy sensors that detect when someone enters the bathroom and then automatically turns on the pump to get the hot water ready. No timer required and you aren't bound by any schedule. Does this require power outlets to be installed under the sink to run the occupancy sensors? Are there pumps that can be triggered by turning on the bathroom light?

Do certain types or brands of pumps require less maintenance and repair?

Any recommendations?

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Comments (6)

klem1
6 years ago
Most all possabilities you asked about are available but if you must ask how to install them,don't try. Add on recirculation pumps that use cold line to send water back to heater are not very good because you will get warm water from cold facuets at times. To work as intended,a dedicated return line must be added between pump and heater. Grundfos is the best brand. For most things besides shower,a small point of use heater is easier to install and a good solution.
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Bruce in Northern Virginia
6 years ago
Do you know if there is a single hot water line running to the bathrooms, and then it branches out on the other side of the house, or are there multiple hot water lines running across the house?

If you have a single water line running across, then you may be able to add a 5 gallon electric water heater inline that will give you nearly instant hot water on that side of the house. And when you take a shower (which requires more than five gallons) you will get hot water from the main heater, which will draw through the smaller hot water heater.

Bruce
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jaxo
Original Author
6 years ago
I don't know if there is a single line. It is whatever code required in 2000. The laundry room and all the bathrooms are in line with each other along the same wall with the last bathroom taking longest to get hot water to the shower.

I don't think it would be possible to fit and install an electric water heater anywhere.
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klem1
6 years ago
"I don't know if there is a single line."

Without coming to your place to see,I doubt anyone here will know either.
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jaxo
Original Author
6 years ago
This is how the faucets are set up on that side of the house:

Water heater ---> laundry room ----> hall shower --> sink ----> master shower ---> master sink 1 ---> master sink 2.

So, the master shower connections are in line before the faucets. If a mini water heater was installed under the master bedroom sinks, the shower would still have to wait for water from the main water heater and the biggest problem we have now is waiting for hot water in the showers.
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klem1
6 years ago
I hate to keep bringing this up but all your questions can't be answered without on site inspection. If you are trying to design a system before hireing a plumber,you are wasting your time. The plumber will have ideas of his own. Hire the plumber and let him decide on best approach. If you are qualified,have the tools and plan doing the work yourself,say so and we can go from there. Possibilities are endless,some better and/or more expensive than others but where there's a will,there's a way. Instant hot water can be made available anywhere in any house on face of earth if the money is there to support the job. Do you have or can you get plans from which house was built? It might surprise you how lines were routed. Master sink 1 an/or 2 may actually see water before master shower(if you are willing to cut holes in drywall,we can tell you how to find out). "Sink" between hall shower and master shower might be the place for pou heater,depending on existing conditions. I have installed heaters in attic above remote fixtures to overcome this same problem. Possibilities are endless but unfortunately few can be executed on the net.
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Hot water recirculation pump recommendations?

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klem1

Bruce in Northern Virginia

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Hot water recirculation pump recommendations?

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klem1

Bruce in Northern Virginia

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